Lorraine Avitabile

Lorraine Marion Avitabile June 20, 1948-January 13, 2025 When Lorraine Avitabile entered a room, she was like the sun, spreading warmth wherever she turned. An avid and meticulous home cook, she would bake up to five days a week just to share her mouthwatering masterpieces with her neighbors, friends and family. Lorraine helped her community as well: she sold her famous carrot cake for $10 each and raised $2,500 to help her church buy a computer, she donated monthly to the local shelter and food bank, and she served as president and curator of the Freeport Historical Society & Museum, tirelessly working to preserve and celebrate the village’s past. Her kind-hearted nature also came out when she doted on her rescue cat Meg in her sing-song voice. But making others smile was just one of her many passions. The first of seven children to the late Paul and Marion Kester, Lorraine found her grandmother Louise Kester, whom she lovingly called GK, to be the formative influence on her life, instilling a love of cooking, sewing and genealogy. “I was blessed that GK taught me to sew, a skill that would usher me into my favorite job of the future, selling sewing machines at Sears,” said Lorraine, who attended the Fashion Institute of Technology and had a self-proclaimed “passion for fashion.” The multi-talented Lorraine held other interesting positions, including a receptionist at the United Nations and a licensed real estate agent. She also earned her genealogy certification from Boston University. Lorraine started extensively researching her family history in 1968, locating distant relatives and forging relationships with them. She further embraced her Polish and German heritage in her cooking and decorating. A facility with languages and a love of learning made Lorraine an enthusiastic traveler. She visited more than 25 countries and even managed to travel after her cancer diagnosis, crossing Cuba and Israel off her bucket list. Lorraine is survived by five siblings—Thomas Kester, Patricia McGovern, Leonard (Loida) Kester, Therese (Richard) Churchill and Daniel (Debbie) Kester—as well as her nieces, nephews, cousins and countless friends, all of whom will forever feel her warmth. In addition to her parents, she is predeceased by her husband, Roderick; brother Bobby Joe; sister-in-law Donna; and brother-in-law Henry “Buddy” McGovern. In lieu of flowers please make a donation to the Freeport Historical society in in Lorraine Avitabile's name. Please mail donations to: Freeport Historical Society P.O. Box 323 Freeport NY, 11520

Lorraine Avitabile

June 20, 1948 - January 13, 2025