Funeral services will be held at the Calvary Baptist Church in Granada, Minn. at 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. Visitation will be from 9 to 11 a.m. at the church prior to the service on Saturday. Burial will take place at Nashville Cemetery. Zaharia Family Funeral Home is entrusted with arrangements. www.ZahariaFamilyFuneral.com

Lorraine Faith Jurgenson was born Sept. 9, 1927 to Ellsworth and Elsie Jurgenson in Fairmont, Minn. As a young girl during the Great Depression, her father was offered work in the cotton fields of Louisiana. The family packed up, traveled from Minnesota to Louisiana and back to Minnesota after illnesses affected family members; however, equally memorable was meeting great people along the way and experiencing the kindness of strangers during difficult times. She attended school in Granada. In the spring of 1945, the Granada Depot Agency offered a class for girls to be trained to become agents. For three months she traveled to stations by caboose and worked on the Milwaukee Railroad. During the fall of 1945, Lorraine went to her station in Oakland, Minn. as a lady operator, where she took the train from one depot to another as a telegrapher while the men were called to war. Over 28 weeks, she worked at five stations before the war ended and the girls’ jobs concluded. In May 1946, Ken Michalke came home from the Navy. Childhood acquaintances, Lorraine and Ken reconnected after the war, dated and married on Sept. 28, 1946, a union that grew into a seventy-three year marriage.

Lorraine’s career path led to a hardware store in Granada, a five-and-dime in Fairmont, Nu-Tech in Fairmont, 18 years at Fairmont Community Hospital as a nurse aide, and working alongside her husband with his plaster and stucco business. At home she devoted herself to caring for her seven children and helping parents with whatever they needed. She took great pride in caring for her family, keeping a tidy home and yard, and creating countless memories while her husband, children and grandchildren bonded during hunting and fishing trips together.

While known for her strong work ethic and her ability to organize and plan, she spent time with family camping and fishing. In retirement, Ken and Lorraine enjoyed traveling in their RV as well as trips to Hawaii in the winter. Lorraine was grateful for the life and family that she and Ken built together.

Mom was a very hard-working beautiful mother and will be dearly missed and always loved by many.

Lorraine (Jurgenson) Michalke, is survived by her children, Steven (Vivian) Michalke, Fairmont, Gary (Cheri) Michalke, Fairmont, David (Susan) Michalke, Goodland, Keith Michalke, Truman, Sheryl Pedersen, Fairmont, Terry Michalke (Larry Jones), Truman, Timothy (Kirsten) Michalke of Thief River Falls; Grandchildren, Bobette Palmer, Micah Michalke (Sarah Penheiter), Kari (Dale) Dobie, Amy (Wade) Sagehorn, Kory (Cassi) Michalke, Jamey (Sarah) Michalke, Tera Ehlert, Nichole (Cory) Lewis, Heather (John) Taplin, Heidi (Stevan) Luhmann, Joshua Michalke, and Joseph Michalke; 20 great-grandchildren, sisters Marilyn (Ronald) Meyer, sister-in-law Marjorie Jurgenson, nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Lorraine is preceded in death by her parents Ellsworth and Elsie Jurgenson, husband Kenneth Michalke, brothers, Donald (Luella) Jurgenson, Robert Jurgenson, sisters, Jean (Stan) Nelson, Sharon (Ralph) Maloney.

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