E. Lorraine Derella

E. Lorraine Derella (nee Brown), 91, a lifelong resident of Millville, NJ, passed away peacefully on Saturday, October 14, 2023. She was the loving wife of the late Joseph J. Derella, Sr. and beloved mother of Joseph J. Derella, Jr. (wife Susan), Rose Marie Quirk (husband Joseph), and Mari Linn Lacovara (husband Andrew). Lorraine was an awesome Mommom to Jacob, Drew (Maddison), Cassandra, Nicholas, and Kaitlyn. She was the best great grandmother to Duke. She was a dear sister to Eileen Garton and the late Lois Spencer and Glenmoor Brown.

Lorraine was born at home in Millville on June 13, 1932 to Evelyn and Glenmoor Brown. She grew up with her siblings in a small house on the family chicken farm. She attended local schools and graduated from Millville High School in 1949.

A few years later, Lorraine applied for a salesclerk job at the new W. T. Grant store in town. The manager, her future husband, kept calling her back for interviews but never hired her. He finally asked her for a date and the rest was history. They married in February of 1955. They moved around for her husband’s work but eventually returned to her hometown to raise their family.

While Joe worked to support the family, Lorraine was the best mom. Creative in more ways than can be listed. She could sew designer quality clothing without a pattern. She painted. She crafted. And she made the best Halloween costumes for her kids (from large zoo animals to robots). She designed centerpieces for all of the kids proms (back when they were held in the High School Gym).

Once her children were school age, Lorraine decided to fulfill a lifelong dream of becoming a nurse. With three young children, she enrolled full-time at the then brand-new Cumberland County College. She was a member of the very first graduating class in 1968 and passed her nursing boards with flying colors. Lorraine chose a unique career path during her brief time working as a nurse; choosing to work in a heroin rehabilitation clinic. She changed many lives for the better.

As her kids got older, Lorraine decided to return to the stay at home mother life. Carting her kids to all of their many sports and activities. As teens the Derella house was the place to be and everyone stopped to visit with her before heading to the basement to ‘hang out’.

Over time the house on Mulberry Street became too much for her to handle and she moved in with her youngest daughter, Mari Linn, and her family. All the kids in the neighborhood called her Mommom and visited with her regularly. Eventually age and illness forced her to assisted living. But she was still close to family and had frequent visits from all of her children and grandkids.

She was loved, her bright smile and deep dimples will be missed dearly.

Family & friends are invited to gather on Thursday, October 19, 2023 from 10 am to 12 pm noon, at the Rocap Shannon Memorial Funeral Home, 23 North Second St, Millville, NJ 08332. Funeral service will begin at 12 pm noon. Interment to follow at Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Millville, NJ.

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