Loreen "Lorie" (Uhrine) Mottorn

Loreen “Lorie” (Uhrine) Mottorn, or simply Lor to her dearest friends—and Mom to her daughters—passed away peacefully on May 18, just two weeks after celebrating her 84th birthday, following a long and courageous journey with Alzheimer’s disease. She was generous, friendly, gregarious and deeply patriotic.

A proud graduate of Clarion College, Lorie began her career as an English teacher, even student-teaching at her alma mater, Quaker Valley High School in Sewickley. Their or there or they’re? Your or you’re? You might be stumped, but Mom wasn’t—and her trusty red editor’s pen certainly wasn’t either. She later lent those sharp editorial skills to a publisher of French-language textbooks, and after time at home raising her daughters, went on to work as a proofreader, editor, technical writer and eventually a trainer in Westinghouse’s international nuclear sales division. There, she found great fulfillment collaborating with engineers—many of them retired Navy—developing training materials that could be clearly understood by engineers across the globe.

One of the great chapters of her life was the time spent living on Clark Air Base in Manila. She fondly shared stories of her “house boy” polishing floors with coconuts strapped to his feet, afternoons spent playing Mah Jong at the Officer’s Club and unforgettable friendships. Other memories were heavier: volunteering with the Red Cross, visiting wounded Vietnam soldiers—some the same age as her former students—and silently counting the number of USAF jets leaving for Vietnam, and, with hope in her heart, counting them again when they returned.

Back in the States, Lorie poured her energy into family and community. She stayed at home to raise her two daughters and became an enthusiastic volunteer—at school and public libraries (sparking her daughters’ future careers), the garden club, AAUW, Meals on Wheels and countless other local organizations. She loved hosting friends and women’s groups, especially her needlepoint club, where she served pastries and cookies—satisfying her guests and her own legendary sweet tooth.

She was a gifted baker, known for cakes, cookies, brownies, and fruit pies made from blackberries, peaches and apples picked herself—her apple pie was, hands down, the best. She delighted in nature and was a tireless remover of invasive plants (especially the dreaded garlic mustard) at Duff Park, where she found peace among the trillium, May apples, and ferns every spring.

A lifelong crafter, Lorie never met a DIY project she didn’t like. She sewed “twinsie” matching sets for her girls, crafted stained-glass décor, embroidered wall art and quilted pillow shams. An early riser, she often began her day with a good mystery novel—her favorite genre. And as the original cat lady, she couldn’t resist caring for stray cats. She loved feeding birds (and, unintentionally, wildlife who frequented the yard).

Lorie is survived by her two daughters, Jill of Murrysville and Amanda of Edgewood—both of whom still live in fear of red pens—as well as her grandson Caleb of Reno and her beloved grand-dog Chunk. She was preceded in death by her husband, David Mottorn (USAF, Ret.), and her cherished parents, Stephen and Fay Uhrine of Sewickley.

Donations are neither solicited nor expected but are welcome to be sent to Paws Across Pittsburgh Animal Rescue, the Murrysville Community Library or the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center at the University of Pittsburgh.

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