Lorri Riffle
Lorri Riffle was born May 1, 1952 in San Diego, California to Les and Bessie Johnstun Vinsant.
Lorri attended school in Ogden, Utah, before moving to Trout Creek with her family in 1964. She graduated from Noxon High School in 1970 and moved to Shoshone, Idaho
where she worked as a waitress. Lorri’s love of life and laughter made waitressing a perfect job for her. She truly enjoyed it and loved meeting new people each day.
During one of her visits to Montana, she met Doug Riffle. Within months they married and settled into the home they would share for the next 46 years.
Lorri and Doug had two sons, Gene and Mark. Lorri loved being a mother and spending time with her boys. She was an avid fan of all their school activities and spent countless hours cheering them on from the bleachers and the sidelines.
Lorri loved spending time with her kids and grandkids. She loved being a mother, but becoming a grandmother was heaven on earth to her. She was extremely proud of Gene and Mark for the men they have become and for the families they have created.
She loved living in Thompson Falls and being a member of the small community. Lorri worked as a waitress between Minnie’s Cafe and The Rimrock for more than 35 years. She retired just a few years ago and immediately volunteered as a Foster Grandparent with the Area 6 Agency on Aging. She became “Grandma Lorri” to the children in the Thompson Falls Elementary School library. Lorri loved her role as a volunteer and loved the interaction with the students.
In addition to her amazing lawn and gorgeous flower beds, Lorri was well known for her homemade cookies. She baked for anyone who needed a pick-me-up, who needed to take cookies for an event, her grandkids, her mother, Doug, her sons, her brother-in-law, or anyone she thought might need a cookie.
Lorri had caught a cold and when she went to bed Feb. 21 she slipped away from us while she slept.
Lorri is survived by her husband, Doug, and their sons, Gene and Mark. Daughters of her heart, Layla and Elizabeth, along with grandsons, Tyler, Dillon, Riley, and Justin, and her one and only granddaughter, Trinity.
Her mother, Bessie Miron of Polson; sisters, Vanessa (Clint) Fitchett of Camas Prairie and Rene Vinsant of Polson; plus numerous nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins. Lorri was preceded in death by her brothers, Les Jr., Larry, and infant brother, Robert; sisters, Linda, and infant sister, Connie; her father, Les Sr.; step-father, Al Miron; and her grandparents, David and Elizabeth Johnstun and Leslie O. and Agnes Vinsant.