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Lonna Maye O'Connor Corey On February 27, 2009, Lonna Maye O'Connor Corey lost her battle with cancer but not her hope, her sense of humor, or her humanity. Born in Wibaux, Montana, on January 22, 1938, to Jim and Ming O'Connor, she attended rural schools, moving to Baker, MT in the 5th Grade. She graduated Baker High School in 1955, enrolled at Carroll College in Helena in Pre-Nursing, and received her Nursing Diploma from St. Vincent's School of Nursing in Billings in 1958. Later she earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Montana State University. For the next four decades, Lonna worked as a nurse, nursing administrator, nursing educator, and nurse counselor in various hospitals in the US and overseas, retiring in 2002 as the nurse counselor in the Families First Program in Socorro, NM, a program that she helped introduce and grow in the state. In 1958, she married Jim Corey, her childhood sweetheart. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on December 28, 2008. Their marriage was blessed with five children and ten grandchildren. She also traveled with her husband and family all over the world, to five continents, nearly fifty countries, and forty-five of the fifty states, living for extended periods in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bulgaria, England, and Ireland. Lonna is survived by her husband at the family home in Albuquerque, and by her five children: Ray and Cara Corey and sons, Tyler and Marshall, of Tri-Cities, WA; Jeff Corey of Farmington, NM, and Caroline Corey of Durango, CO and their children, Alex and Tatiana; Craig and Deborah Corey and sons, Sam and Ben, of Albuquerque; Janine Corey and her sons, Carson, Everett, Ryker and Miles, of Kalispell, MT; and Glen Corey and Myra Peel of Albuquerque. Also surviving are her siblings: Larry and Joyce O'Connor Jonckowski and family; Clancy and Janice O'Connor Iverson and family of Billings, MT; Jack and Claudine O'Connor and family of Ismay, MT; Nick and Herschel O'Connor and family of Plevna, MT; and Dan and Lynette O'Connor and family, also of Plevna. Also surviving are two sisters-in-law: Virgil and Shirley O'Connor Larsen of Billings, and Patricia O'Connor of Baker. Additional survivors are her step-siblings: Ron Efta and family, Tom and Renee Efta Nelson and family, Joey Efta and Denny Efta and family, all of Wibaux. Lonna was preceded in death by her parents, and her step-mother, Frances Efta O'Connor; by her parents-in-law, Ray and Stacia Corey; and by two brothers, Dick O'Connor and Butch O'Connor. Also surviving are her in-laws: Denzil and Marlene Corey Young and family, of Baker, MT; Bob and Norma Corey Tatarka and family, of Bozeman; Howard and Iris Corey and family, of Polson; and Pat and Sharrie Corey and family, of Chandler, AZ. A Funeral Mass will be held at Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Church at Lomas and Tennessee, NE, Albuquerque, at 10 a.m. Friday, March 6, 2009. Interment will be later in St. John the Evangelist Catholic Cemetery in Baker. Lonna's family will receive guests at the Hidden Valley Clubhouse after the service. Coffee, tea, and refreshments will be served. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in Lonna's name to the American Cancer Society, 10501 Montgomery Blvd. NE, Suite 300, Albuquerque, NM 87111, or to a charity of your choice. Please visit our online guestbook for Lonna Corey at RememberTheirStory.com French 10500 Lomas Blvd. NE (505) 275-3500
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