Lorretta Thulien

Loretta L. (Brown) Thulien, age 55, of Fairmont, died on Monday, February 23, 2009 at Sogge Good Samaritan Center in Windom. Loretta was born September 4, 1953 in Mountain Lake, MN; the fourth daughter of Gilbert and Charlotte Brown. Loretta was raised by her maternal grandparents Dick and Josie Wohlenhaus after losing her parents in a car accident when she was fourteen months old. She graduated from Butterfield High School in 1972 then enrolled at Worthington Community College. She transferred to Winona State University, later graduating with an English degree. Loretta went on to work in St. James Schools as a teacher's aide until she caught the teaching bug. She received her license in teaching English-as-a-Second-Language from Minnesota State University - Mankato and taught ESL in Fairmont school district retiring in 2003. Throughout her life, Loretta was especially passionate about reading, teaching, horses and cats. She is survived by her two daughters, Tessa Thulien of Normal, IL, and Josie Thulien of Madelia, MN; three sisters, Marilyn ( Pete) Peterson of Port Edwards, WI, Joyce Brown of Show Low , AZ, Lois Kramer of St. James, MN; one niece, three nephews, and her special friend, David Lopez. She is also survived by her beloved cat, Romeo, and her five birds. She was preceded in death by her parents, her niece, Marcia (Henze) Gunderson and her cousin, Pat (Wohlers) Eady.