← NewsAll
Lorraine Victoria Hakala (née Veal) remembered after her passing on December 21, 2025
Summary
Lorraine Victoria Hakala, 79, of Thunder Bay died peacefully on December 21, 2025 after a battle with cancer; a celebration of her life is planned for February 2026.
Content
Lorraine Victoria Hakala (née Veal), age 79, of Thunder Bay, Ontario, passed away peacefully on December 21, 2025 after a battle with cancer. She died on the winter solstice surrounded by family. Born on September 22, 1946 in Port Arthur, she was the eldest of her siblings and later married her high school sweetheart, Kenneth Hakala. She raised three sons, returned to work in retail, and spent her retirement enjoying outdoor activities, crafting, and travel.
Known details:
- Lorraine was born September 22, 1946, in Port Arthur to Lloyd and Audrey (Shaw) Veal and was the eldest sibling of Marjie, Jim, Gloria, Gary, Karen, and Elaine.
- She married Kenneth Hakala on August 10, 1968 and is survived by her husband of 57 years, their children Darren, David (Janice), and Mark (Melanie), and five grandchildren: Logan, Meghan, Kyler, Makenna, and Ethan.
- Lorraine left teaching to raise her family, later worked in retail and retired from Canadian Tire on Dawson Road.
- Her interests included kayaking, gardening, knitting, sewing, crocheting, and curling, and she enjoyed travel and time at the Moose Lodge Campground.
- The family expressed thanks to staff at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, Regional Cancer Care Northwest, and the Palliative Care Team for their support.
- Cremation has taken place, a celebration of Lorraine's life will be held in February 2026, and a private interment will follow; the family noted donations to the Northern Cancer Research Fund in lieu of flowers and condolences via nwfainc.com.
Summary:
Lorraine is remembered by family as a steady, caring matriarch who valued family time, community, and simple pleasures. The family has arranged a celebration of life for February 2026 and has completed cremation, with a private interment planned for a later date.
