Lorraine Thelma Phillips

Lorraine passed away on August 14, 2020 at Delmar Gardens West after a long illness. She was born on April 9, 1923, the daughter of Harry and Hattie (nee Tremblay) Lucia in Montgomery Center, VT. She was 97.

She was proceeded in death by her first husband, John A. Chruma and her second husband, John S. Phillips, brothers Harry Lucia, Merton “Joe” Lucia, and sisters Mildred “Tootie” McCullough and Joyce Sheppard, and grandson Christopher Chruma. Also proceeding her in death were stepsons Robert “Bob” Phillips and Richard “Dick” Phillips.

Lorraine is survived by her two sons, John L. Chruma (Ballwin, MO) and Dwight F. Chruma (Las Vegas, NV), grandchildren Stephanie Chruma Erickson (Maplewood, MO), John R. Chruma (St Charles, MO), Shelley Chruma (Jefferson City, MO), great grandchildren Abigail Chruma, Amelia Chruma and Faith (Chruma) Santos. She is also survived by several nieces and nephews residing in Quebec, Ontario, Michigan and Washington state.

As a little girl, Lorraine lived in northern Vermont with her family until the Great Depression required an employment move to Waterloo, Quebec. Following the untimely death of her parents at age 14, she moved to Burlington, VT where she lived at the Rock Point School for Girls. She met and married John A Chruma in 1942, and he was later deployed to the European Theater during WWII. Following the war, they resided in Burlington until an employment transfer to Jefferson City, MO in 1959. Lorraine was a housewife during this period, and continued as such until she and John divorced in 1960. She then worked briefly at Missouri Department of Revenue and the Missouri Medical Association. She met and married John S. Phillips in 1970 and moved to Poplar Bluff, MO. She worked in retail until John’s death in 1988, and soon moved back to Jefferson City, MO, where she lived until 2013, for medical reasons, she moved to Delmar Gardens West in St Louis County where she resided until her passing.

Lorraine was a loving and supportive mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, often attending various school and family functions when she could, given distance restrictions. She was a lifelong and enthusiastic member of the Anglican Episcopal Church (working as a teenage girl for the Bishop of Vermont). Her last home church was Grace Episcopal in Jefferson City, where she was active in various volunteer pursuits.

She will be missed by her extended family and all who knew her as a feisty, opinionated New Englander with a wonderful sense of humor.

No formal services are planned due to the COVID-19 virus. Memorials, if desired, may be made to the Dementia Society of America.

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