Lorraine Soszynski (nee Lizak), passed away on February 9, 2010, after gracing this earth for 80 years.  Lorraine was an accomplished professional musician, being one of the first to masterfully play an amplified Accordian called the Cordovox.  She performed regularly in the Chicago area with her husband, Leonard, for many years as Lorraine & the Sonatones.  They recorded two albums: Making Memories and Chicago ’s Famous Polkas.  Recently Eddie Noga, a famed polka saxophonist in the Chicago area, noted that Lorraine & the Sonatones was the band with which he most enjoyed playing. 

Despite this special gift for music and an exceptional intelligence that earned her admission to the highly reputed Rosary College in the 1940s, Lorraine opted not to attend college and not to expand her musical career beyond the Chicago area so that she could marry and begin a family. 

Lorraine’s family was the light of her life.  She raised one daughter, Cynthia, and then served as a primary caregiver for her five grandchildren, Dennis, Dawn, David, Diane, and Douglas.  Lorraine also leaves behind four loving great-grandchildren whom she adored, Dennis, Samantha, Zachary, and Valerie.  She also loved animals, including Angel, Juliet, and Azriel as well other pets in the family.

Lorraine was a true critical thinker, both analytical and artistic, smart and very funny.  She was always ready to enter into a vigorous debate on newsworthy topics, and although opinionated, could concede a point if well made.

Lorraine entered the hospital last July with pneumonia, and an unfortunate series of events kept her from returning home since that time despite valiant efforts on her part and much hard work on the part of her loving family to get her home and healthy.  She was incredibly strong and beat the odds right up until the time that she decided to leave this existence.  She will be missed by many.