WOOD RIVER - The voice of a retired Wood River Police Department telecommunicator Kaye Loraine went silent this week, but her work efforts and her friendship to so many in the community will never be forgotten.

This was the initial statement released by Wood River Police Chief Brad Wells about Loraine: "It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of our longtime retired telecommunicator, friend, and co-worker Kaye Loraine. Kaye passed this morning at her home surrounded by her family and her beloved feline friends.

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"Kaye served the City of Wood River and its citizens from June 21st, 1981 to December 12th, 2015, for a total of 33-plus years. Please keep her family as well as her law enforcement family in your thoughts and prayers. She will be deeply missed."

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When Chief Wells described Loraine, he said, "Talk about a sweet lady. You couldn’t find a person kinder or gentler than Kaye Loraine. If you could write a manual about someone who was an effective listener it was Kaye Loraine. Kaye was very steady and never got upset. She would handle something very minor and something very serious right after that and you would never know the difference. There was not a change in the tone of her voice. She was always very calm. Kaye knew this town like the back of her hand. When people called looking for help, there was no other person better to pick up the phone than Kaye Loraine."

Kaye spent 30-something years as a telecommunicator and was so well-known in the Wood River community.

"You see people come and go in our line of work, but she was a steady force," Chief Wells said. "The sad thing is she retired three years ago and it is just a shame she didn't get to enjoy retirement longer than that."

Kaye Loraine's visitation will be from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018, at Pitchford Funeral Home in Wood River. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 10, 2018, at the funeral home. Pastors Ray and Lisa Taylor will officiate. Burial will follow at Upper Alton Cemetery.

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