Lorraine Newell's arrival into this world was expedited by a motorcycle ride. Her father was drafted into the Army and her mom wanted her to arrive prior to his departure for Germany. The answer? A bumpy motorcycle ride to start labor. It worked! Lorraine arrived before her father left and then she and mother eventually joined her father in Germany for a two year period. The family later moved to Florida where her only sibling was born. Her brother and parents lived with her in many locations within Florida until Lorraine was 15 years old. Her father was a pastor and was interested in attending Multnomah Bible College in Portland, so they decided to move across the country! Lorraine began as a sophomore at Park Rose High School and it was not easy for her. Quiet and compliant as a child, she was also artistic and played the piano. The move to Portland rocked her world and she didn't start off on a good foot. She literally BROKE her foot just before school started and had to hobble around her new high school! The following year she transferred to Portland Christian High School and met a friend there who lived in Corbett. That was the first time she was aware of the Corbett community. After high school graduation, Lorraine was in a bad car accident and needed time to recoup. She began college in 1989 at Azusa Pacific University in CA. After two years, she moved back to Portland and met her husband Gene. Her parents had moved back to Florida, so Lorraine lived in an apartment and began dating Gene. After eight months, they became engaged and then got married in 1992. Lorraine was working for Multnomah County and today is still employed with the county but has a different position, working as an analyst in Human Resources. Over the years she was able to take time off when her daughters were born and still at home. In 1995, Gene and Lorraine purchased their first home and then the babies started arriving! Together they have three daughters. Madeline is 21 and attending college in Seattle, Katie is 18 and Emma is 15, both attending school in Corbett. In 2003 the family moved to Gresham and then relocated to another Gresham home before finding a forever place to live in Corbett in 2018. Lorraine's parents are back in Portland now and they will eventually live with her family, so Lorraine and Gene wanted to find "the perfect spot" for multi-generational living when it comes time to join them on the property. Lorraine says the family loves to laugh a lot and vacation together. They make several trips to Seattle to see their oldest in college and are also big Seahawk fans. They have been to Mexico, Disneyland, and Hawaii. Currently, Lorraine is the president of CHAMPS, involved with the Site Council at the school and is a member of the Corbett Ladies Who Read book group.
