Lorna J. Van Ihinger

After a full life of dancing, drama, knitting and triple word scores, we said goodbye to Lorna June VanIhinger (nee Knight) on November 1, 2024.

Lorna was born in Picton, Ontario, on Father’s Day in 1945 to Lorne and Susie Knight (nee Frey), the middle child of 8. Scrabble was the favourite pastime of the Knight family and she celebrated every seven-letter word with her siblings at holidays and reunions for almost 80 years. Tea was always served.

Equipped with an unprecedented resourcefulness and an excellent recipe for coconut cream pie, Lorna initially pursued a career in caregiving. She cared for the elderly at nursing homes in the Quinte area and Ottawa Valley and went to Loyalist College to get a diploma in early childhood education. The skills she gained encouraged her to open her arms and her home to help raise her grandchildren and to provide palliative care to her son in the early 90s.

Lorna also worked in restaurants, bars and bakeries. According to her first husband, Joe Lightfoot, she was never afraid to stand up to a bully when she was pouring drinks at the Royal Hotel in Picton. She was equally comfortable serving tables with her childhood friend, Luella "Sparky" Head, as she was frying fish in her daughter’s restaurant or making cookies at her other daughter’s bakery.

Her children remember her as being fiercely protective, always warning against climbing trees and swimming after lunch. We tormented her with rubber snakes and often straying too far from home. In turn, she dressed us in polyester and handknitted sweaters with too-tight necks. She took us on many family adventures across the country and was always down for a road-trip.

Lorna was in love with falling in love, which she did with her whole heart regardless of how many times it got broken. She was a sucker for a man who could dance, whether it was to Rod Stewart’s Do Ya Think I’m Sexy or Nelly’s Hot in Herre. She eventually fell for a man who would also teach her to love fine things like Glen Loates art, birdwatching and woodworking.

Lorna is predeceased by her husband, Roger VanIhinger, her parents, Lorne and Susie, her sisters Donna (Carmen) DiNanno, Marta (Bruce) Simspon, and her son, Gordon Lightfoot.

She is survived by her daughters, Cheryl (Dan) Burton of McAdam, New Brunswick, and Sheila Lightfoot-Pringle of London, Ontario. She leaves behind her grandchildren Joe (Claire) Mainprize of Brighton, Rachel (Chris) Mainprize of Sault Ste. Marie, Kasey VanIhinger of McAdam, Alexis (Devon) Lightfoot and Austin Pringle, both of London, and great-grandchildren KeslerHaze, Quinin, RykerJames, Callum, Nama and Azula. Lorna is fondly remembered by her sisters Wilma Wannamaker of Picton, Sandra (Martin) Stolz of Surrey, Linda (Steve) Gyde of Etobicoke, David Knight of Vancouver, and Brian (Vera) Knight of Belleville. She leaves fond memories for many nieces and nephews, as well.

Cremation has taken place at The S.O. Mehan & Son Funeral Home in St. Stephen, New Brunswick.