CURRENT CELEBRATIONS

Lorraine B. End

On Thursday, May 9, 2024, Lorraine B. End (nee Merollo) of Delran, NJ, passed away at the age of 80 at Samaritan Hospice in Mount Holly, NJ. Born in Philadelphia, PA on February 23, 1944, Lorraine graduated from Abraham Lincoln High School in northeast Philadelphia in 1962. Shortly thereafter, she met the love of her life, Joseph End, while sledding with friends. They married in January of 1963 and found themselves the parents of twin girls (Lorraine and Arlene) nine months later! Then, in December of 1964, another set of twins (Denise and Joseph) were born! At the young age of 20, Lorraine now found herself the mother of four children, but being the woman that she was, she was more than up to the challenge.
In 1964, Lorraine and Joe moved to Delran, NJ, where they remained as residents for the remainder of their lives.
In the course of time, Lorraine returned to the workforce, utilizing her excellent secretarial skills at Chestnut Fleet Rentals, United Hospital Supply, and finally, at the law office of Judith Lee Azaren in Willingboro, where she worked until her retirement.
A devout Roman Catholic, Lorraine was a lifelong member of Holy Name Church (now known as Resurrection Parish) in Delran, where she served in many different capacities. In her early years, she worked in the rectory doing secretarial work for Father Donald Reilly, who was the pastor of the church at the time. She then went on to serve on several different committees, but the committee that was closest to her heart was the Bereavement Committee. When the church got wind of Lorraine’s flare for cake baking and decorating, they quickly put her talents to use. Not only did many parish members hire her to bake their own wedding cakes, but the church itself would often use Lorraine’s cakes to sell raffle tickets.
Lorraine was a multifaceted diamond when it came to her many talents, such as cooking, baking, piano playing, crocheting, quilt-making, decorating, and crafting. The craft room in her condo was her happy place, and it was where she spent most of her time.
Lorraine was also an avid reader of books, especially books about History, her favorite subject. After reading books about History for many, many decades, her knowledge of this subject was colossal, making her a scholar in her own right.
When Lorraine was not watching history shows, reading history books, or crafting up a storm in her condo, one would find her walking the boardwalk in Ocean City, New Jersey, another one of her happy places.
Preceded in death by her husband, Joseph R. End, her sons-in-law, Robert J. Gotti and Russell Espenhain, her parents, Ernest and Elizabeth Merollo, and her sister, Sandra Merollo, Lorraine is survived by her children: Lorraine Espenhain of Mount Laurel, NJ, Arlene Gotti, of Edgewater Park, NJ, Denise Banski (Doug), of The Villages, FL, and Joseph R. End, Jr., of Delran, NJ. Also left to cherish her memory are her grandchildren: Joseph (Amber), Jason (Maureen), John (Rachel), Elizabeth, Emily, and Joseph R. End, III, her great-grandchildren: Jillian, Eliot, and Lydia, her sister, Arlene Campbell, along with many nieces, nephews, and cousins.
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Saturday, May 18, 2024, 10:00 A.M. at Resurrection Parish (260 Conrow Road, Delran, NJ). Interment, which will be private, will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Samaritan Gift Processing Center, P.O. Box 71425, Philadelphia, PA 19176-1425.