Remington

Lorraine Kurfiss Remington, 89, passed away with family at her side on Oct. 16, 2017. She was born Feb. 28, 1928, to Harry and Gladys Kurfiss in Dillon and grew up in Sheridan.
Lorraine graduated from the University of Montana with a Bachelors of Journalism. While there, she was a member of the Delta Gamma sorority where she made many lifelong friends, and a member of the Theta Sigma Phi, a national honorary for women in journalism. She graduated near the top of her class in 1950.
Lorraine was employed in 1950 by the Montana Fish and Game Department where she edited their first magazine.
She married George Remington in 1951 and moved to Honolulu, Hawaii. While living in the Aloha State, she was assistant director of advertising at Aloha Airlines until their son, David, was born in 1954. After living in San Francisco and Fresno, Calif., they eventually returned to Helena, where their daughters Leslie and Larisa were born.
Lorraine wrote weekly columns on arts under the pen name Lee Wyn for the Helena Independent Record. She was also a freelance editor and writer for several businesses and publications.
A devoted supporter of the arts, Lorraine was a member of the Helena Arts Council, Helena Civic Center Board, Helena Symphony Society and Montana Arts Council Advisory Committee. Also an artist in her own right, she studied pottery at the Archie Bray Foundation.
While George was president of the Montana Newspaper Association, she founded an annual scholarship program with the Women of the Press Association. It funded summer newspaper employment for a junior in journalism at the University of Montana. The program was funded through sales of arts and crafts, and other donations from the association. This scholarship later became the Pat Burke Scholarship in memory of an association member.
The family moved to Billings in 1976 when George became publisher of the Billings Gazette. Lorraine set up her own pottery studio at home and spent many happy hours with clay – throwing pots, developing her own custom glazes and firing them in her kiln. She continued to do some freelance and creative writing, as well. George and Lorraine traveled to France and England and bought property in the piney hills near Columbus. They built a hexagonal log home where they spent weekends and summers. When George retired in 1986, they moved there for the next 10 years.
After her first bout with breast cancer, the couple opted to move back to Billings in 1997, but maintained their “cabin” as a retreat until its sale in 2012.
Lorraine and George enjoyed many trips visiting kids and family in Oregon, Illinois and North Carolina, and traveling to see friends in their beloved Hawaii.
Lorraine wants to be remembered as a gentle person who loved her family more than they’ll ever know. She believed sincerely in God and that there is a heaven. She loved spending time outdoors, especially fly fishing. She loved the beauty she found in nature and people, especially children – she loved babies.
Lorraine was preceded in death by her parents and sister. She is survived by her husband, George; son, David (Kathy); daughters Leslie O’Leary (Bob Hull) and Larisa (Jamie) Willrett; grandchildren Jeremy and Bethany Remington, and Justis, Olivia and Sawyer Willrett; and several granddogs.
A memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 20, at the Columbus Community Congregational Church in Columbus.
In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established in her name.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.heightsfamilyfuneralhome.com.