Lorraine Ann Draper

LORRAINE ANN DRAPER was born Feb. 5, 1941 in Sioux Falls South Dakota. She was 81 at the time of her death, Dec. 10, 2022 at the Hospice House in Pipestone. Death was due to cancer.

Lorraine’s parents were Albert Borden and Loretta Borden. They divorced while Lorraine was very young. Lorraine spent some time in an orphanage and with foster parents. Her mother later married Perry Boysen who adopted her. She then became known as Lorraine Boysen and lived in Hills, Minnesota. She was baptized at East Side Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls and confirmed at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Hills. She attended school in Hills, graduating in 1959.

She then attended Mankato State College, graduating in 1963. She taught high school home economics for three years in Echo, Minnesota and one year in Ashland, Wisconsin. She married Charles “Chuck” Draper Aug. 12, 1967. They lived in Westhampton Beach, New York where Chuck, in the Air Force, was assigned to an Air Force base on Long Island. Lorraine worked as a substitute teacher.

Upon Chuck’s discharge in 1969, they returned to Minnesota where Chuck worked as news editor and later advertising director at the Windom newspaper. In 1975 they moved to Pipestone where Chuck worked as advertising representative for the Pipestone County Star.

On Jan. 1, 1976 Chuck became an owner of the Star and established Pipestone Publishing Co.

Lorraine worked part-time at the Star with proofreading and clerical duties until about 2020. She took over writing the Days Gone By column in the paper in 1976. This gave her an opportunity to peruse old newspapers and advance her interest in local history. She continued to write the popular column until a few months before her death.

Lorraine reflected a deep interest in local history and historic preservation. She became a “go-to source” for Pipestone historical information, particularly about businesses and historic buildings. She was a member of the Pipestone Historic Preservation Commission for about 15 years, Historic Pipestone Inc. since its beginning, and the Pipestone County Historical Society.

She directed the monthly HPI book sales, prepared the historic district guide “If Walls could Talk,” and prepared and delivered slide shows on the Historic District and Pipestone historic homes. Besides doing volunteer work for the historical society, she served on the Dollars For Scholars committee and was a board member of the Friends of the Library. She was active in Zion United Methodist Church until its closing. She was a Boy Scout and Girl Scout leader in her early years.

Lorraine was an active reader and enjoyed exchanging mystery novels with friends. She was an avid photographer, particularly of plants and flowers. She produced an album of plant photographs at the Pipestone National Monument. She also had an extensive collection of dolls and bears. She enjoyed traveling and visiting historic homes and other sites.

Despite these interests, her greatest love was for her grandchildren. She enjoyed every moment with them and always had photos and stories to share.

She is survived by her husband and three sons and their families, as well as a brother. The sons and their families are Brian (Tamara) Draper and granddaughter Erin, Rochester, MN; John (Theresa) Draper and granddaughters Kaitlyn, Meredith, Addison and Ireland, Pipestone; Mike (Kelli) Draper and grandsons Owen and Will. Her brother, Alan Boysen, resides in Hills. She was preceded in death by her parents and step-father.

In lieu of flowers memorials can be provided to: Historic Pipestone PO Box 277H Pipestone, MN 56164 or Pipestone County Historical Society 113 Hiawatha Ave Pipestone, MN 56164