Margaret Lorraine Goosens was born in 1927 to Carson and Allie Brown, and the first half of her life was primarily spent in McDowell County, West Virginia. She was the oldest of three sisters and lived in a coal mining family during a time of growth and turmoil in the Appalachian coal mining industry. Company towns battled union workers both literally and figuratively, and mining explosions slowly knocked loose additional health and safety regulations from state and federal sources. Despite hardship, Lorraine thrived.

In 1946, Lorraine married Robert Ignatius Goosens, a World War II veteran and eventual school superintendent who adamantly supported Lorraine's career as a reading specialist. Lorraine was a champion of literacy in a rural environment where illiteracy and joblessness went hand-in-hand. She traveled around the state to teach students, assess and train teachers, and create community literacy programs. Lorraine's contributions to educational systems in rural West Virginia cannot be overstated, and she helped others thrive despite hardship.

Lorraine passed away on October 15, 2023, in Miramar, Florida. She is survived by her loving and loyal son and daughter-in-law, William and Debbyta Goosens of Florida; grandchildren Miles Goosens of West Virginia, Ki Goosens of New York, Kenneth Goosens of Virginia, Shay Canfield of Virginia, and Jonathan Goosens of Minnesota; and great-grandchildren Annaleigh Goosens, Kalina Baylor, and Dillon Baylor.