Lorna was born in Leicester in 1941. She was one of five sisters and her family lived in a3-bed council house in Knighton Fields.

When Lorna was very young, she caught Meningitis. The doctors told her parents that she might not live very long. Lorna proved the doctors all wrong. The Meningitis affected her legs, eyes and brain. She spent many hours in hospital during her early years as doctors tried to treat her disabilities. As a child, Lorna did learn to walk but her balance wasn’t good and she walked slowly with a limp.

In later years she missed lots of her school lessons due to hospital visits. Her old primary school reports all had a similar theme – “good effort, tries hard”.

As she progressed onto Secondary school, there was one subject that she did excel in. Her school report from 1953 (Age 12) noted that she was “promising as a singer”. When she left school aged 15, her school report stated “Lorna has worked very well and is always willing and cheerful. She makes full use of her opportunities, her independent and determined approach to her every day life is admirable”.

Her love of singing started in the church choir. Her parents had sent her to Sunday School each week with her sisters at a church nearby. Lorna joined the choir at St Michael & All Angels and it was here that she met her future husband John.

When Lorna left school she worked in a hosiery factory for several years. She married John in 1967, much to her parent’s surprise, who thought that no-one would ever offer to look after her. They started their married life in a terraced house in Highfields. They continued to attend St Michael & All Angels church together.

Lorna got pregnant three years later. The doctor advised her to abort the pregnancy with fears that she wouldn’t be able to carry the baby safely or be able to bring up a child with her disability. Lorna told the doctor exactly what she thought of that idea and with her usual determination and grit, she told the doctor where to "stick his pills" and continued with the pregnancy.  Karen was born in 1970 with no complications.elbourne Hall Church was a few streets away from their home in Highfields and one day Lorna was invited to attend a Mother & Baby group there with Karen. She soon started to attend church there regularly on Sundays. Within a few years, she was also teachingSunday School every week, something that she dearly loved.

In 1976, Lorna & John moved to a semi-detached house in Knighton.  Lorna & Karen continued to attend Melbourne Hall. Lorna wanted to get baptised by full immersion there and she was determined to walk down the steps into the baptism pool which she did very successfully.

They lived in Knighton for many happy years. Karen grew up and got married. Lorna kept herself busy by doing many things for others, including recording a blind newspaper each week, reading out the Leicester Mercury onto tape cassettes. She also knitted dish cloths to sell and organised sponsored hymn singing to raise funds for St John’sChurch on London Road, which John & Lorna then attended.

Lorna’s mobility deteriorated in the last half of her life and she ended up permanently in a wheelchair with carers coming in three times a day to help her. The house in Knighton was adapted for her needs and she was given a Mobility vehicle to help her to get about, which John drove. She continued to attend several events a week and even visited the elderly at a Residential Home.

Karen went on to have four children, including twins and Lorna delighted in each one of them. Lorna felt so blessed and so happy to see so many grandchildren.

In 2010, Lorna & John’s health deteriorated quite considerably. They moved into a shared home in Oadby with Karen and her family. They started to attend St Luke's Church each week with Karen.. Just a year later, John died after several difficult heart operations. Lorna & John had been married for 43 happy years.

Lorna continued to live with Karen and her family for another year and then moved into the Pilgrims’ Nursing Home in Evington for her last seven years. She was very happy there, she made lots of friends, loved leading the singing, and she chatted to everyone. She continued to attend St Luke's Church every Sunday and often started singing as soon as she came into the door of church and heard the worship band practising. She will be missed greatly.