It is with great sorrow that we announce the passing of our beloved sister Lorraine Lynn McGinnis (1956).  In the presence of loving family and friends she passed peacefully on April 28th, 2021 at the Victoria General Hospital in BC where she worked as a physiotherapist.

Anyone who knew Lorraine would say that she was a kind, caring, generous and sweet person.  She was truly a healer for persons of all walks of life, and a champion for those less fortunate. She cared deeply about each patient at the hospital and at the clinic.  She demonstrated this through providing advocacy and individualized care tapered to each patient’s unique needs.  She had a special love for persons in the sports medicine field, and also for seniors, older adults, as well as the Ballet Victoria dancers.

She ferociously read and intensely studied new research methods and was a natural born teacher in anything she learned including that in her field of physiotherapy, acupuncture and craniosacral therapy.  She taught The B.C. Rehabilitation Nurses Professional Practice Group lessons at their meetings and conferences.  Her clinic in Victoria had the theme “hands that heal”.  She worked at an intensity that almost no one else could match, finding solutions for her clients with complex medical issues. Many clients who found themselves in challenging circumstances were still treated regardless of their ability to pay. She often treated persons in pain free of charge, if they were struggling, because she cared so deeply.  When Lorraine decided that she wanted to help someone in need, there was nothing that could stand in her way.

Lorraine was intrepid as she travelled the world on her own terms. She managed to avoid stepping on land mines in Cambodia.  She studied Therevadan and other forms of Buddhism and went on intensive silent meditation retreats in Myanmar and Thailand for 6 to 12 months at a time.  She meditated intensively and encouraged other meditators to do so.  The Lovingkindness meditation was her favourite.

Lorraine was one of those people who had hidden talents. She was abreast on Canadian and world politics and could match the chops of the most seasoned debater. She loved to sing but was shy about it. She was an artist who loved to draw and paint. In fact, her first profession was that of a civil technologist In Halifax, N.S.   She was very physically active, running marathons and triathlons, cycling, hiking, and kayaking.

She also possessed a love for problem solving, puzzles, being inventive, with a perceptive mind and a keen wit. She had a unique and wry sense of humor and enjoyed the art of satire.  She could shift gears and be serious one moment, then funny the next, with a joyful, mischievous and contagious laugh.  Lorraine at her best knew just how to “be” in the moment.

Lorraine was a loyal friend to many and will be missed along with colleagues and most of all her cousins, nieces and nephews and surviving 15 siblings. Lorraine touched many lives and everyone who needed her felt that she was on their side. She wanted everyone everywhere to strive for their personal best.  Lorraine possessed a selfless strength and all who knew her were touched by her.  Lorraine was a selfless, caring legend in her own time.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation be made to the Heart and Stroke Foundation or a charity of your choosing.