Lorraine Sophia (Leisgang) Newberry, 90, of Cincinnati, Ohio, formerly of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, passed away peacefully (but not without a fight) on February 22, 2017. Born on April 5, 1926, in Cheviot, Ohio, she was the youngest daughter of John and Bertha (Canavan) Leisgang.

Better known to her family as “Rainee,” she grew up in Cheviot, attended Seton High School, and studied Aeronautical Engineering at Miami University where – rumor has it – she walked to class with Ara Parseghian, at least once or twice. She met Raymond Donovan Newberry from New York City at Xavier University, where she worked for her sister Rett in the cafeteria. Rainee and Ray, who was known by his family as Don, were married on August 14, 1948, in Cincinnati. They were married for 52 years until Ray's death in November, 2000.

Rainee had six sons and one daughter, all of whom adored her: Matt; Mark; Jeff (Jane); Jon (Betsy); Peter (Kim); Doug (Patti) Newberry, and Mary (Ted) Olson. The family moved frequently in the early years, living in Cincinnati; Chicago; and Stow, Ohio; before finally settling down at the “ranch” in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin in the 1970s.

Through it all, her love and affection was the glue that bound the family together – massive holiday feasts, too, at any time of the year.

Always known for her marvelous cooking – a necessity for a family of nine and mostly boys – Rainee amassed a library of cookbooks that she mostly never actually used (or needed) and a collection of cookie jars. She was also an accomplished seamstress and an award-winning bowler on her Shady Ladies bowling team. During the 1960s and 70s, she spoke out against the Vietnam War and was a self-described nonconformist to the end.

She is survived by her children; nine grandchildren who called her “Neenee:” Jay (Laurie), Jennifer (Pat), Jonathan, Frances, Theo, A.J., Sam, Beatrice and Carolyn; nine great grandchildren: Sarah, Matty, Auggy, Junior, Cadence, Brady, Evie, Henry, and Quinn; and many nieces, nephews, and her best friend Beverly Wenzel, Wisconsin Rapids.

Preceded in death by her parents and her husband; sisters Loretta “Rett” (Victor) Dambowski, Helen “Einee” (Tom) Smith, Bertha “Tootie” (Robert) Pantle; brother John “Johnny” (Helen) Leisgang; her infant grandson Matthew Newberry Olson, and her dear friend Larry Lewandowsky in Wisconsin Rapids.

Services will be held Saturday, March 4, 2017 at 10:00 a.m., at St Aloysius Gonzaga Church, 4366 Bridgetown Road, Cheviot OH 45211. Visitation at the church 8:30 - 10 a.m. Reception immediately after mass at Maury’s Tiny Cove. Memorials may be made to Raymond and Lorraine Newberry Fund at Incourage Community Foundation, 478 E Grand Ave., Wisconsin Rapids, WI, 54494, www.incouragecf.org/give/.