Lorraine Babcock

+ Enlarge

Lorraine Babcock

January 26, 1930 ~ May 27, 2018

Jennie Lorraine Chesnik Babcock, 88, passed away on May 27, 2018. She was born January 26, 1930 to Joseph and Jennie Benedict Chesnik in Spring Canyon, Utah. The family moved to Helper in 1932. She attended local schools and graduated from Carbon High School in 1947. She was a devoted class reunion committee member. In her youth, she was known as a great baseball player on Bryner Street.

Lorraine married the love of her life, Sheldon Grant Babcock, on June 30, 1950. They danced a million steps together and traveled the world, but both agreed there was no place they loved more than their home on 5th Avenue in Helper, where they raised their family and lived for almost 60 years. Lorraine was a dedicated employee of Mountain Bell Telephone Company, retiring after 30 years of service. Together with her husband, she was co-owner of Grant’s Distributing Company in Helper for more than 30 years. They belonged to Helper Dinner Dance. She was a past president of the Price Ladies of Elks, having served two terms and was honored as Lady Elk of the Year. She was a member of the Helper City Library Board for eight years and chairperson of the Helper City Planning and Zoning board for 10 years. She belonged to the Variety Club and was a faithful member of St. Anthony Parish.

Next to her family, Lorraine’s greatest pride was her Slovenian heritage. Polka music and dancing were a family tradition. She made a promise to her father to carry on the Helper Slovene National Benefit Society (SNPJ) Lodge 689 and became the secretary-treasurer, serving the local Slovenian community for 35 years. She was a regular contributor to the Prosveta, earning their Literary Award. She was proud to have the Lodge recognized for million-dollar insurance status. During her tenure, she was the first and only woman in Utah elected to the SNPJ National Board of Directors in Chicago and Pittsburg and she served 8 years as an elected Regional Director of Utah, Colorado and New Mexico. She was recently recognized as a 70 year SNPJ member. She also served on the Board of Directors and as Secretary-Treasurer for the local Slovenian Home in Spring Glen. She was instrumental in starting the annual Slovenian Day Picnic and served with her husband as co-chairpersons for over 25 years.  

Most of all, she was a loving and devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and friend.

She is survived by her son David Grant (Gaye) Babcock of Spring Glen; daughter Shelly Lorraine (Jim) Stephenson of Houston, Texas; four grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, sister Jo Ann Chesnik Couch, and her husband Sheldon Grant Babcock.

A Mass of the Christian Burial was celebrated June 2, 2018 at St. Anthony Catholic Church. Interment was at Mountain View Cemetery in Helper.