Lorraine Elizabeth Jenkins

Life-long Montana resident Lorraine Elizabeth Jenkins, 96, of Great Falls, Montana, died in her home on Friday, May 8, 2026.

Born on March 8, 1930, to Calmar “Chick” Mattias Carlson and Irene Loretta Beninger Carlson in Anaconda, Montana, she grew up helping on her family’s dairy farm. She woke at 3 a.m., helped to milk the cows, and then, delivered milk to customers. After breakfast, she went to school, volunteered at the hospital, and worked at the Washoe Theater. Lorraine loved life on the ranch. “I got thrown off so many horses, I don’t know how I did it – and never broke a bone,” she said. “The cowboys would bet on whether I could stay on them.”

A woman of diverse interests, Lorraine often spoke of her love of nature. She fondly told stories about spending time with her father fishing and hunting. Spotting deer in the wild or in her yard, she would call them “her babies.”

If times had been different, Lorraine could have run the ranch herself or gone to college to be a nurse, which was her real dream. Instead, after she graduated from Central Catholic High School in Anaconda, she worked as a bookkeeper, and married Kenneth Eugene Jenkins on Feb. 4, 1951.

The marriage blessed them with three children, Linda Marie in 1951; Kevin Matthew in 1954; and Karen Ann in 1958. By 1960, the family moved to Great Falls for Kenneth’s job as a printer at the Tribune.

Lorraine and Ken divorced in 1966. Two months later, he died. She, at 36 years old and with three children to support, found work as a bookkeeper for the Montana Hardware Company, moving eventually to the most memorable job as the bookkeeper at the Pin Cushion on Central Avenue. As her children grew up, they married, launched careers, and started families of their own. In 1973, she became a first-time grandma while still young and active. Her oldest grandson fondly remembers them swimming together, followed by a peanut buster parfait at Dairy Queen.

If Lorraine had a superpower, it was nurturing. Animals, people – they just found her and blossomed. A friend of her son, who lived at the Jenkins home as a teen, Steve Ashburn, called Lorraine, “mom,” and he meant it literally. He often said, “She saved my life.” He and his wife Cindy often visited from Ketchum, Idaho, saying they were just checking in on her, but those visits were so much more.

She also found love again in the 1970s when she met H.P. Brown. Together they enjoyed boating on Holter Lake with their grandchildren. Despite H.P.’s diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis and use of a wheelchair, they camped and explored in his motorhome. They also traveled to Hawaii, Alaska, and Central America. Although they never married and maintained separate homes, they spent their days as a couple for more than 40 years.

In 1998, Lorraine’s son died at the age of 43. Lorraine then raised his two children, Christopher and Brittany Jenkins, in the same home her children grew up in. After they graduated from high school, Brittany attended college, and Christopher moved back in with Lorraine in his early 20s due to mental health issues. He lived with her on-and-off for 20 years.

Over the years, Lorraine grew to consider HP’s family — including his two sons, Charles and Greg Brown, their wives, children and grandchildren — an extension of her own.

Lorraine’s faith was unwavering. She lived it. If the Holy Spirit Catholic Parish had a best attendance award, she’d have won it. She loved her community and helping others, especially the misunderstood or downtrodden. For years she volunteered for various church committees, but the Emilie Center held a special place in her heart. In addition to volunteering as the Center’s bookkeeper, she helped organize epic auctions to support the charity.

She was an animal lover, especially pugs. Her pets were ever present, always sharing her meals and ice cream, and keeping her company at bedtime. Her day did not begin before that first cup of coffee followed by praying her rosary. Sitting on her back patio enjoying the view of her flowers and birds brought her joy. So did a perfectly selected and well-placed accessory, particularly her broaches. She also appreciated a cold beer at the City Bar and a hot water with brandy before bed.

We will remember Lorraine for her nurturing heart, fun-loving spirit, and the twinkle in her sparkling blue eyes. As Matt, the photographer who took her 90th birthday photos said, “Capturing her energy was wonderful. Her inner light showed through in all the photographs we took.”

Lorraine was well-natured and unflappably resilient – a true Montana woman, as one grandson put it.

She was preceded in death by her sister, Marlene Dziak; ex-husband, Kenneth Jenkins; son, Kevin Jenkins; love of her life, HP Brown; and son-in-law, Skip Walters. Lorraine is survived by a family left shattered by her passing, daughters, Linda Ballew of Great Falls and Karen Barniol (Luis) of Bellingham, WA; grandsons, Troy Ballew (Mara Stine) of Portland, OR, Tyson Ballew (Kristen Stanovich) of Bellingham, WA, Luis Barniol Jr. and Nolan Barniol (Tia), both of Bellingham, Christopher Jenkins of Great Falls, and Brittany Jenkins of Denver, CO; and great-grandchildren Ayla, June, and Tessa Ballew of Portland, OR, Jasper Ballew of Bellingham, Matty and Fawn Eolande also of Bellingham, and Leeila Jenkins of Great Falls.

Survivors from HP’s family include sons, Charles (Pam) Brown of Fairfield and Greg (Jenny) Brown of Camas, WA; grandchildren, Amanda Brown of Fort Benton, Christopher Brown of Great Falls, Alysa Brown of Dillon, Kelsy (Dan) Harvey of Cut Bank, and Autumn and April Brown of Camas, WA; and great-grandchildren, Elisabeth and Emma Brown of Fort Benton, and Beckett, Corbin, and Adalyn Harvey of Cut Bank.

A Rosary will be held at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, June 26, 2026, at Holy Spirit Catholic Church. A Rosary will be prayed in her memory at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 27, 2026, during her funeral liturgy also at Holy Spirit followed by inurnment at Mount Olivet Cemetery.

Charitable contributions in Lorraine’s memory may be made to the Emilie Center.