Lorna Raye (Fortner) Johns

Lorna Raye (Fortner) Johns passed away on October 27, 2024, at the age of 83 in Great Falls, Montana. Born on September 10, 1941, to Myrtle and Luther Fortner in Lake Preston South Dakota. The family later moved to Iowa where Lorna attended Washington High School in Cherokee, Iowa. She met, married, and started a family, supporting her husband during his career in the United States Air Force. They had four children and traveled around the United States, stationed in Alaska, Illinois Montana, Nebraska, and Oklahoma to name a few.  Once settled in Great Falls, she started her career as a dedicated housekeeper for several hotels in the Great Falls area.

A vibrant and conversational personality, Lorna was a beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great-grandmother who cherished being surrounded by her family. She was known for her ability to strike up and sustain engaging conversations with just about anyone.

Lorna is survived by her sister, Sharon (Bill) Tiernan; children, Richard (Natalie) Johns of Rochester, MN, Lorraine Hersey of Great Falls, MT, Vern Johns of Wolf Point, MT, and Douglas (Melony) Johns of Silver Lake, Washington. She also leaves behind a legacy through her grandchildren Richard, Joseph, Danny, Brandy, Justina, Annabeth, Dustin, Michaela, Timothy, Justin, Nicole, Tanner, Kaitlynn, many great-grandchildren, and several great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, Myrtle Scheffers and Luther Fortner; siblings, Betty Durbin and Jim Fortner; and her son-in-law, Richard G. Hersey.

Outside of her family and career, Lorna was actively involved in the community. She was a passionate bowler until 2014 and played significant roles in both the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. Lorna also volunteered at the Heart Association, was a dedicated reader, enjoyed coloring, collecting teddy bears, and was an active member of TOPs where she recently received a certificate, celebrating being a member for over 50 years.

Memorial Services will be held on Friday, November 15, 2024, at 11:00 am at River Run Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, located at 4601 3rd Avenue South, Great Falls, MT 59405.

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