Antipas Family Album: August 2013

Lorraine (Sikorski) Antipas, long-time resident of Watsonville, passed away peacefully on August 9, 2013, at an assisted living facility in Sunnyvale, CA.

A native of Chicago, IL, Lorraine was a creative spirit who studied clothing design and art at various schools, including the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana. She moved to California, working in San Diego and San Francisco during World War II, and after the war, worked at I Magnin and designed clothing for the company’s illustrious ladies’ department. Later, her love of adventure took her traveling to many places in Europe, where she furthered her studies in clothing design in Rome, Italy. She was a masterful storyteller and often entertained her family with stories such as “The Night of the Missing Doorknobs in Tunisia” and “The Time I went to Wales for Tea and Stayed for Five Days”.

After several trips back and forth from California to Europe, she eventually settled in Munich, Germany, as an employee of Radio Free Europe. There she met George Antipas, also a Radio Free Europe employee, and married in 1960. They commenced a life together fighting communism, while enjoying traveling in Europe and pursuing their individual artistic pursuits. Lorraine’s special talents in textile art led her to the creation of 65 hand-knit, personally-designed wool sweaters, quilted clothing, and numerous clothing pieces.

Lorraine also nurtured the family’s property outside of Watsonville, caring for the ranch with her skills in decoration and gardening. An avid entertainer, she hosted friends from around the world and introduced them to the wonders of the redwood forests she loved. She thrilled her young nieces and nephews by hosting numerous costume parties at the ranch, teaching baking and sewing skills, and later serving as a mentor to the young women in the family as they individually learned to pursue their life passions.

Lorraine, the last member of her generation, is survived by a loving family of nieces and nephews: James C. Providenza of San Raphael, CA; John R. Providenza of Portland, OR; Carol C. Providenza) Golsch of Sunnyvale, CA; Susan Kubak of Springport, IN; Kathy Collins of Indianapolis, IN; Anne Marie Pemberton of Naperville, IL, and Steve Clarke of Cornvile AZ. Her family also includes 18 great-nieces and nephews, and 10 great-great nieces and nephews, who took their cue from her life and have spread throughout the world from Willits, CA, to Denver, CO, Charlotte, NC, Boston, MA, London, England, and Germany.

Lorraine’s ashes will be interred at Valley Catholic Cemetery in Watsonville, CA. By her request, no services will be held. A private family memorial will be scheduled soon.

Donations in her memory may be made to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, to fund work in a disease that took the lives of two of her sisters and one niece, and affects the life of a great-great niece.