Lori Jo Converse

Lori did not originally set out to have the largest independent Christmas collection in Whatcom County (unverified, but just try to prove us wrong). But all who knew her could attest that it surely was the merriest place to be and rivaled any shop window in the big city. Her collection, which included over 80 trees, 70+ Santas, 60+ snowmen, antiques, heirlooms, and a myriad of holiday characters that spanned throughout their home, took as many days to set up as it did to fully take in and admire every element that was displayed. 

Lori, a devoted wife, mother, friend, sister, aunt, and grandmother to a lucky 3-year-old, was a quiet homebody by nature. But the holidays, any holiday, really sparked a need for expression and flair that made visiting her home a seasonal treat! Halloween would be covered with jack-o-lanterns that would be conveniently turned around to be displayed for Thanksgiving. Flags and stars would adorn the entry way for the 4th of July and her beloved bunny collection would multiply as rabbits do throughout the home for Easter. 

Her decorations always included those she made herself from her 40+ years of crafting which included selling handmade ornaments in Whatcom County. Lori learned much of her crafting skills originally from her mother, Rosalie. They bonded over a shared joy for quilting and visiting craft stores on weekends. She learned additional tips from her years working in Anacortes in the 90s at Bunnies By The Bay. One time, Lori proudly sold four of her Christmas ornament patterns to be produced by Bunnies By The Bay, a sale that would also help to pay for her daughter’s braces. 

There wasn’t a craft that Lori didn’t excel at, from rubber stamps to scrapbooking, from pottery painting to sculpting. She was a one-woman army of creativity! Crafting was in her blood as her mother and her mother’s mother, and so on, were also fantastic quilters. Recently she worked on a quilt with her daughter, Jennifer, that was made of beautiful 1940s reproduction prints for her granddaughter, Hadley Jo (who bears her middle name). 

Lori was born in Idaho to parents Rosalie and Michael. She was the youngest of four siblings. Her first few years were rocky, featuring many foster homes. This led to her desire for stability, which she would eventually find when the family settled in Bellingham, WA. This also accounted for her shy nature and low-key lifestyle. 

Growing up, Lori had a tight social circle which included loyal friends that she kept for 50+ years, namely Barb, Darlene, and Denise. These were her sisters, her confidants, and her co-conspirators. (Fortunately, the statute of limitations for any teen pranks has long since passed!) Lori said to one of these sisters, “It’s so good that we had good ol’ times.” Two of these women would go on to raise their children with Lori and their children would become lifelong friends, which is itself one of the highest goals of friendship. 

Lori lived a few times throughout her life in the Birchwood neighborhood in Bellingham and would often share with her daughter that she remembered when the area around Bellis Fair used to all be farmland. Her favorite place to visit in that area was the Birch Door restaurant, as she loved the blueberry lemon cobbler French toast. She was very partial to any dessert that featured lemons! 

One of Lori’s favorite movies, aside from “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,” was “The Wizard of Oz,” and much like Dorothy’s famous quote, “There’s no place like home,” Lori was obsessed with one day owning her own home! She often recorded episodes of Bob Villa’s “This Old House” off of PBS so that one day she could tackle any task in her home. Weekends would be spent driving around looking at houses and daydreaming of the day she would be able to plant a garden in the backyard of her own house. In the late 90s, this dream came true for a short time on Orchard Loop in Oak Harbor, but she would eventually get a second chance which started with a game of billiards. 

Lori was single in her late 30s, with her daughter away at college across the state. She had moved back from Oak Harbor to her familiar Birchwood neighborhood and there she took up billiards. And she was pretty darn good! She ranked high in the women’s league. With her friend Barb, she met an equally shy and kindhearted man, Ted. Lori and Ted would go on to marry and spend the next 20+ years together. These were Lori’s happiest years, where she felt the most supported and loved. Ted helped Lori fulfill her dream again of owning a home! They purchased a bright purple house with a backyard that they transformed into their own secret garden filled with flowers, apples, cherries, and tall asparagus. A garden where, no matter the season, something was in bloom. After many years the trees were taller than their home. Their granddaughter called this garden “A farm!” on multiple occasions, due to the variety of fruit and vegetables that it supplied. 

Ted found a partnership with Lori that was beautiful to see. They shared so many common interests from trips to Cannon Beach, to trips to the Silver Reef Casino (oftentimes winning!), walking their dog, Charlie, and watching episodes of Star Trek (she loved sci-fi) and Bridgerton (they would hold hands while watching episodes). They shared a love of Christmas and the two could often be seen buying up all the antique glass ornaments in Ferndale to add to their collection. They also hosted a weekly poker game for over 15 years with a colorful crew listening to 80s rock music and enjoying the best snacks in town.

Lori’s last ten years were spent working in customer support at Samson Rope with a truly compassionate and caring group of colleagues. When she was ill and had to step away, they always earnestly checked on her and offered help whenever possible. 

Lori is best remembered for her big heart, love for deals, and her incredible thoughtfulness. She often had a gift waiting for you before you even presented her with one and had a box full of cards for all occasions to make sure those she loved always knew she was thinking of them. 

Lori leaves behind her caring and loving husband, Ted, her daughter, Jen, her son-in-law Donald, granddaughter, Hadley Jo, siblings, Willie, Mike and Debbie, along with uncles, Merlin (who was like an additional big brother) and Gary “Gib,” and her aunt, Victoria, many nieces and nephews, and her caring and loving close friends. She will be missed greatly every day. 

Lori asked not to have a service but suggested that the best way to remember her is to plant a flower in her honor.