Lorraine E. Bummert

Lorraine E. (Rebhan) Bummert, 98, passed away peacefully on June 13, 2025 at the Morrow Home in Sparta, WI after a brief illness.

Born on September 22, 1926 to John and Aline Rebhan, Lorraine was raised on French Island, attended a “2-room schoolhouse” and went on to graduate from Logan HS. At age 19, Lorraine started taking flying lessons at the La Crosse airport, earning her Private Pilots License in July 1946. Also, after high school she left the area briefly to attend The Gregg Business College, in Chicago, IL, where she mastered her secretarial skills and became proficient in short hand. When she returned to La Crosse, she was hired at the La Crosse Board of Education as Superintendent Josephine Hintgen’s secretary. In later years her entrepreneurial spirit led her to own and run her own dress shop, Lorraine’s.

In the early 1950’s, Lorraine met the love of her life, Kent H. Bummert. They were married on December 26, 1955. Their son Kent Thomas was born in 1956 and daughter Kathryn Janet in 1959. Soon thereafter, she sold her dress shop to become a full-time mom and homemaker. Together, Lorraine and Kent enjoyed many years of golf outings, bowling leagues, dance clubs, traveling, and raising their 2 children.

In 1969, they bought an A&W Drive Inn in Caledonia, MN which later became The Sunset Inn. Lorraine’s love for cooking and baking was evident by the amazing food served to customers and the tremendous growth of their business. When the drive-in business was sold 17 years later, Lorraine went to work at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church where she dedicated her mind, body, and soul to her church and its members as Parish Administrator. Lorraine retired at age 85, but remained a faithful servant to her church and community, volunteering for Meals on Wheels and the summer lunch program at the Salvation Army. Retired life also included playing in a couple bridge clubs, and many trips during the winter months to Texas to visit her daughter Kathy and grandson Alec as well as visiting her son Kent, and daughter-in-law Denise in Florida. Soon Lorraine became a resident of the Morrow Home after a hospitalization with COVID.

Lorraine is survived by one son, Kent (Denise) Bummert of Holmen, WI, one daughter Kathy Fruechte of Holmen, WI, one grandson Alec Fruechte, step-granddaughter Abby Bulman of Rochester, MN, step-great grandson Keagan Miller, sister-in-law Nancy Rebhan of Zeeland MI, and several special nieces and nephews. She loved her family with her whole heart.

Lorraine was preceded in death by her husband Kent H. Bummert, her parents John and Aline Rebhan, 3 brothers and their spouses Henry (Geraldine) (Eloise) Rebhan, Rudy (Marian) Rebhan, Carl (Ruth) Rebhan, and Robert Rebhan, 2 sisters and their spouses Hilde (Edward) Richmond, and Ruthie (David) Wolf, 2 nephews John Rebhan and Michael Wolf, 3 nieces Sandra DeBernardi, Mary Beth Sackmaster, and Nancy Huerkamp.

A private visitation and graveside service will be held for family members only, with a memorial Celebration of Life service to be held at a later date.

Lorraine’s family would like to thank the medical teams at Gundersen Hospital, the St. Croix Hospice organization, and especially to all the care givers and staff at the Morrow Home for their love, kindness, and dedicated care that was provided all the way thru to her end-of-life journey. May God continue to bless these exceptional providers.