Lorraine Gloria Guerette Haag

COHOES, N.Y. – Lorraine Gloria Guerette Haag, 93, loving and beloved mother, grandmother and great grandmother, aunt and friend to many, passed away in her sleep the morning of February 17, 2025. Born in Winthrop, Maine on December 2, 1931, Lorraine was the second daughter of Charles and Julia Guerette. She was the 4th of seven children living on Morton Street. She spent her childhood in Winthrop, attending Winthrop Schools from Kindergarten through High School, graduating in 1950. She enjoyed performing in talent shows, tap dancing and acrobatics. Mom would tell us it was scary living across the street from Maple Cemetery, and if she was walking down Morton Street at night, she would tiptoe all the way home. She was also a high school cheerleader, a member of the basketball team, and voted class clown of her Senior Class! She entered Sisters of Charity Hospital and School of Nursing in Waterville, Maine where she earned her nursing license. After graduating in 1953, she moved to Albany, NY where she met and married Edward O’Brien. Together they had three children: John, Mary Beth and Stephanie.

Her nursing career was expansive, including several years at Brady Maternity Hospital, Albany Medical Center, and Memorial Hospital. She did pediatric post-neurosurgery private duty nursing at Albany Med, and moved to staff in the cardiac, intensive care, post-intensive care units. She did hemodialysis at Memorial. She was also a nurse in the 2-bed unit inside Macy’s Department Store in Colonie Center for several years. Not many people knew there was a unit on the second floor where she could dispense band-aids, aspirin and offer a place to lie down. Her last job in nursing was as a school nurse in Shenendehowa Middle School B. She enjoyed interacting with the children there on a daily basis.

She also loved to entertain and was a great cook and baker. She was known for her beautifully decorated cupcakes. She would hand-paint realistic flowers on the frosting with toothpicks dipped in food coloring.

In 1969 she married Helmut J. Haag. After wintering in Florida for several years, they decided to leave Ballston Lake, NY to live there full time. They moved first to Sarasota and then Bradenton where they lived for 23 years, until Helmut’s death in 2002. Lorraine returned to Winthrop where she was a member of St. Francis Xavier Church, serving as a sacristan, Eucharistic Minister and daily communicant. She also enjoyed the Bailey Library and donated a granite bench to the memory of the Guerette family when the library built its new wing.

In 2014 she left Winthrop for Rexford, NY where she could be closer to her children and grandchildren. She continued to celebrate her faith at Corpus Christi Church and served as a Eucharistic Minister there as well.

In addition to her husband Helmut, Lorraine is predeceased by her parents Charles and Julia, her infant sister Betty Jean, brothers Robert, Raymond, Roger, Lawrence, and her sister Theresa. She is survived by her children John O’Brien (Lisa) of Ballston Lake, Mary Beth Baker (Mike) of Houston, TX, and Stephanie Walters (Kirk) of Clifton Park, her grandchildren Caitlin Benson (Andrew), Brenden O’Brien, and Garrett Walters, and great grandchildren Owen and Isla Benson. Also, her stepdaughter Judy Mantey of Menands, step-grandchildren Karen and Eric Mantey (Trish) and step-great grandchildren Autumn, Nicholas, Shealynn, Kelly, Courtney, Amelia, Emma, and Jacob.

The family is grateful and has special appreciation for the nurses, shabatz and staff at Marjorie Doyle Rockwell and Eddy Village Green, especially Mary, Monet and Hospice nurse Beth, for their care and compassion.

A Mass will be said in her memory at Corpus Christi Church on Route 9 at Ushers Road at a date yet to be determined, followed by inurnment with Helmut at the Gerald B. H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery in Schuylerville, NY.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation to the charity of your choice.