Lorraine was my sons teacher and principal at a little missionary school in Misawa Japan…Misawa Christian Academy. She was so loving, a great teacher…I still have VHS tapes of her leading the school in their music program. I remember. when Arnold had a heart attack and the Japanese hospital kept him in the hospital for over a month. Practicing medicine in remote Japan was so behind at the time. They are in the presence of Jesus now. I am so thankful for them.

My Dear Friend, my adopted Sister,

Lorraine. I will miss everything about you.

Love and see you someday, Betsy

Lorraine was a gift of caring friendship to everyone she met. Even in her later years her focus was in others. She expressed her desires to have a welcoming ministry to those who were new in her last community. I know Arnold and Lorraine from Peniel Bible Conference. They were our mentors and staff pastoral care team.

Lorraine's warmth and kindness (and her smile) come to mind first as I remember time with her at Peniel, and her musical gifts are not far behind in my memory. I also think of Lorraine and Arnold's humility, willingness to serve, and calm demeanor under stress. They have been a great blessing to many in the Peniel community. God's peace and comfort to Lorraine's family and all who knew and loved her.

Lorraine was one if the loveliest people I have ever known. She was my mentor, sister, friend. She helped me love God and people more and more. She was a blessing. She still is.

I had the privilege of serving with Lorraine and Arnold in Misawa from August 1981-June 1982. Lorraine was a dedicated and faithful worker and loved the Japanese people. Her insights as a long term missionary wife were valuable to me, and I always enjoyed her quick wit and bright smile. She was a lovely person. Carol Viss VanDyken

Here is a little more detail about Arnold and Lorraine's work in Japan, from now retired former colleague Richard E. Sytsma.

"Arnold and Lorraine Kress began their service as missionaries to Japan in 1966 under the OPC. After transferring to the CRCNA, they served as CRWM missionaries in Japan from 1978-1990. They lived and served in Tokyo (1978-1979), and in the cities of Misawa and Aomori in Aomori Prefecture (1979-1990). Lorraine administered a wide-ranging program of activities in the Misawa Bible Center. She helped to found the Misawa Christian Academy and served as the school's principal and kindergarten teacher from 1982-1987. A Christian elementary school for English-speaking students, the school used the Misawa Bible Center facility and reached an enrollment of about fifty students.

After retirement, Arnold and Lorraine returned to Japan many times to serve as volunteers under CRWM. From 1999-2001 they served two half-year terms in Numazu, Shizuoka Prefecture. From 2004-2007 they served in various roles as volunteers--spending about half their time in Japan and half in the U.S. One way Lorraine served was as a substitute teacher at the Christian Academy in Japan in Tokyo. After the 2011 Triple Disaster, they served in northern Japan with CRWRC for two months as Japan Project Assistants."