Lorraine Florindez

Lorraine A. Wiggan Florindez was born on March 11, 1926, in Chicago, Illinois, the eldest of three daughters, offspring of Lucenia Rivetta Ulett and Edward Wiggan, Jamaican immigrants. A child prodigy on the piano, Lorraine began formal piano lessons at the age of seven and gave her first formal piano recital at age eleven, an event written up in the newspaper, The Chicago Defender. She served as church organist for St. James Lutheran, Chicago, at the age of fourteen. A student of Corpus Christie Catholic School, Francis Willard Elementary, and DeSable High School, Lorraine played oboe and French horn in her high school concert band, which frequently featured vibraphonist, Lionel Hampton. A voracious learner, Lorraine skipped two grades and graduated from high school at the age of sixteen. The first in her family to attend college, she majored in music at Carthage College, Kenosha, Wisconsin, graduating in 1946 with a Bachelor’s degree cum laude in music.

Lorraine had a dedication to God and missionary endeavors and was placed by the Board of American Missions (LCA, 1946) at the Southern Christian Institute in Edwards, Mississippi, where she conducted a children’s choir and taught music. Fluent in Spanish, Lorraine was commissioned to continue her missionary work in Puerto Rico in 1948. There she met and eventually married Rev. Miguel de Sevilla in 1950. They served together in rural parishes in Dorado for five years and had three children: Catalina, Miguel. Jr., and “Sage” Joyce. Over the span of the next fourteen years, Rev. Sevilla was assigned to cultivate the Puerto Rican Lutheran communities in various church parishes: St. Croix, USVI (1955-60), Camden New Jersey (1960-65), Chicago, Illinois (1965-67), and Brooklyn, New York (1967-69). Within these communities Lorraine served as organist, established choirs, and extended musical horizons.

Her marriage to Miguel eventually ended in divorce. Lorraine later met Armando Florindez, a mechanical engineer from Peru. The two were married in 1972 and lived in New York until 1992. During this time Lorraine acquired a Masters in Music Education from Columbia University and continued her music education at the Julliard School. She became a full time music teacher in the public school system and was known for her remarkable musical productions with elementary age students: Oliver, Fiddler on the Roof, The King and I, Annie, and West Side Story.

Throughout life, Lorraine’s foundation of faith, set by her parents, never waivered. A love of God and people infused her ministry of music. Developing multigenerational church choirs, composing numerous choral works, and facilitating workshops on Latin American hymns and liturgy throughout the United States, Central and South America, Lorraine’s passion for arranging hymns and discovering indigenous religious music culminated in several hymn compendiums: Cantad Al Senor (St. Louis, 1991) and Lutheran Service Book (St. Louis, 2006). She held memberships in various music organizations, including the American Guild of Organists, the Hymn Society of America, and the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians.

From 1992 to the present, Lorraine peacefully resided in Orlando Florida, where she continued her ministry of music with Latino congregations of Orlando. She is survived by her loving husband, Armando, her sisters, Ileane Thomas and Joyce Morgan, her three children; eight beautiful grandchildren, Stephanie, Joey, Jason, Giancarlo, Xiomara, Yasmin, Maya, and Alex; six nieces and nephews, numerous cousins, and three great grandchildren. To God be the glory! A Dios sea la Gloria!

Family will receive friends from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m., Saturday, March 12, 2011 at Woodlawn Funeral Home.

Obituary from Dignity Memorial.