Lorraine Schmid Ericsson

Lorraine Schmid Ericsson, born in 1937, passed away on October 4, 2026 in North Carolina.

Lorraine grew up in a multilingual household in NJ of Eastern European, German and Swiss descent. As the only female surrounded by parents (Eugenia and Harry), grandparents, aunts and uncles, she clung to her younger cousin, Joyce, and enjoyed an exciting youth, attending shows in NYC and spending summers on the Jersey shore. Her much younger brother, Richard, brought joy and humor to her world through his diagnosis of Downs Syndrome.

In 1961 Lorraine married Eric “Rick” Peter Ericsson, a graduate of the University of South Carolina, where he played football and baseball. Rick became a high school teacher and eventually took over his father’s business, Ericsson Advertising, while simultaneously working as a firefighter in his hometown of Maplewood. Lorraine and Rick settled in Maplewood. By 1968, they had three daughters: Donna (Bob), sons Evan and Brian (Danni); Carra (Steve), children Jake (Haley), Mia (Ben) and Connor (Natalia); Bonnie (Greg), sons Blake and Beckett. The families enjoyed summers “down the shore”, and spring times traveling to SC and NC beaches for camping trips. Once the seven grandchildren arrived, family beach vacations continued as an annual event in Barnegat Light, where Lorraine and Rick owned a beach home.

Upon Rick’s sudden passing in 2012, Lorraine and her mother, Eugenia, relocated to Wake County, NC. Sunday dinners at Lorraine’s home in Carolina Preserve became a new tradition, along with beach vacations to Emerald Isle. An avid card player, Lorraine created new card clubs at her new residences in Cary. Her shopping skills were unsurpassed, and often benefitted her seven grandchildren, scattered across the United States.

Lorraine loved family, friends, dogs, memorable parties and the  shore. Tributes to Lorraine can be made via donations to the V Foundation for Cancer Research at www.V.org.