Lorraine Brooks-Body, 71, a long-time resident of Roselle, NJ passed away on Saturday, June 3, 2023 after living a full, meaningful life. Lorraine, daughter of the late Jesse and Ruth Brooks, was born on December 10, 1951 in Elizabeth, New Jersey where she mirrored her parents in becoming an active and beloved member of the community.

Lorraine was educated in the Roselle School District where she graduated from Abraham Clark High School, and went on to attend Kean University and received a Bachelor of Science in Management Science in 1988.

Lorraine joined Wakefern Food Corporation in 1971 and worked diligently for 50 years and moved up through the ranks. She retired in 2022 as a Target Marketing Coordinator where she worked directly with store owners and zone managers to create incentives to maintain a growing customer base. Lorraine held several positions throughout her 50-year career and developed a knack for building relationships and understanding the needs of each owner in a network of over 100 stores. Lorraine took pride in her knowledge of the grocery industry; but, more importantly, her role in breaking down barriers for women and people of color.

One of her most exciting moments was becoming the company’s first African-American female buyer, a position that fulfilled a lifelong dream and provided an opportunity to showcase her love of the business. Lorraine was a two-time recipient of the Wakefern Customer Service Award, for her dedication to providing Best In Class Partnerships. In addition, she ushered in Wakefern’s position as the first grocery company to join the Black Retail Action Group (BRAG) as a platform to increase opportunities for people of color in the industry.

Lorraine married the love of her life, Larry Body in Elizabeth, New Jersey on September 15, 1979. Lorraine became widowed after 33 years, however was blessed with two beautiful daughters who she was extremely proud of: Bianca and Lauren Body. 

Outside of Wakefern, Lorraine enjoyed working in the community and spending time with her family and friends. She was the chair of the Roselle School District Steering Committee; President of the Urban League of Union County Guild; President of the Women’s Scholarship Club; Treasurer of the Roselle Public Library Board of Trustees; a board member of the African-American Learning Center in Elizabeth; a board member of Roselle Multicultural Inclusion and Accessibility Committee; and was a dedicated volunteer of Roselle Women On The Move. Lorraine continuously showed her passion and dedication in all that she did and believed in providing the next generation of leaders with tools, resources, and opportunities to excel.

Lorraine continuously enhanced the lives of her friends, family, and community. She was a lover of all of the performing arts and especially enjoyed attending plays and jazz concerts (and didn’t mind going alone). Lorraine’s curiosity and passion for the arts inspired her to create rich opportunities for young people to showcase their talent to her community. Family was very important to Lorraine and creating opportunities for us to come together was equally important. She shared with us her love of gourmet cooking, dancing, and laughter through the many parties she meticulously planned with her “take-charge” nature. Lorraine’s interest in learning about and teaching African American history led her to expose the younger generation to new and meaningful information.

Lorraine is predeceased by her parents, Jesse and Ruth; and her husband, Larry Body.

She leaves to cherish her lasting memories, her daughters, Bianca and Lauren Body; her siblings, Pamela Brooks and Denise Brooks; her nephew, Isaiah; her niece, Gabrielle; and a host of other relatives and friends. 

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