Lorayne "Lori" E. Rader

Lorayne (“Lori”) E. Rader, 67, of Rockford passed away peacefully, with her children at her side, after a brief and sudden illness. Her family and many friends are heartbroken.

The words most often used to describe Lori by those who know her best are: loving, compassionate, loyal, and beautiful. She was a fierce advocate for her family and reflexively put their needs ahead of her own. She was a strong believer in fairness, respect, community, and the importance of being an active and informed citizen. In fact, since she reached voting age, she had never missed an election. She was smart, organized, and hard-working, known to remind her children that, “anything worth doing is worth doing well!”

Lori loved her daughter, Lisa, her son, David, and her granddaughter, Geneva, beyond measure. She was so proud of their accomplishments and, more importantly, the kind of people they had become. Of course, being humble, she never gave herself an ounce of credit for instilling the values and offering the love and support (…or the kick in the you-know-what) they needed to thrive.

Lori also had a contagious laugh and an incredible sense of humor. This was a source of endless joy to her family – a group of people who believe themselves to be hilarious. Upon reflection, it is possible that this belief was a direct result of her encouragement. Regardless, gatherings of family and friends often devolved into a competition to see who could be the one to make her laugh until tears rolled down her cheeks.

Lori was an amazing hostess and home decorator, a cutthroat cribbage player, a compassionate friend, and an avid gardener. She had a green thumb and could turn even the scroungiest little plot of dirt into a thing of beauty. She will be missed more than words can express.

Lori is survived by her daughter, Lisa, her son, David, her granddaughter, Geneva, her foster grandson, Anthony, and many beloved nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. She lost her husband and love of her life, Dick Rader, in 2020, after 46 years of marriage. Though our hearts are heavy, we know that they are overjoyed to be together again.

Services will be held Sunday, September 10, 2023 at Fitzgerald Funeral Home, 1860 South Mulford Rd. in Rockford, IL, 61108. Visitation will be from 11:00 am – 1:00 pm, with a memorial service to follow at 1:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations in Lori’s memory can be made to The Carter Center (https://www.cartercenter.org/). To share online condolences and share memories, please visit www.fitzgeraldfh.com.