Lorraine Shortell O’Callaghan died Feb. 4 at the Windemere Nursing and Rehabilitation Facility in Oak Bluffs.

She was born on April 21, 1921 in Derby, Conn., and was educated in public schools there. She graduated from Albertus Magnus College in 1941 with a bachelor degree in history and political science. After college she worked for the state of Connecticut, Division of Child Welfare as a supervision worker. After her marriage to John O’Callaghan in 1945, she stayed at home to care for her two sons. Always interested in community affairs, she was active in many organizations. She served as president of the Women’s College Club and was a charter member and president of the Lower Naugatuck Valley chapter of the Albertus Magnus College Alumnus Association. In 1956, she was named the first executive director of the newly established district office of the Catholic Family Services, Archdiocese of Hartford.

Concerned about the lack of locally based social service agencies, she helped organize the Valley Social Workers Club and served as its president. The club met regularly for several years with the goal of encouraging outside agencies to become more familiar with the social service needs of the Valley and to provide more local contacts. Lorraine served on the committee to establish the first local mental health association and the planning committee that founded the Homemaker Service. Ansonia Mayor Joseph Doyle appointed her to the first committee on the aged, whose work resulted in the opening of the Ansonia Senior Center — the first one in the Valley. She was a board member of TEAM.

Lorraine was a specialist in adoption services and served as the chairman of the Archdiocese of Hartford Adoption advisory committee. A longtime member of the board of directors of the Derby Historical Society, she received their service award in 2003 and was named an emeritus board member. She was a charter member of the Ladies Auxiliary of the Ancient Order of Hibernians. She served as executive board member of the Huntington Chapter of AARP, was a longtime member of the Ansonia Garden Club and its treasurer for many years. She was an active member of Assumption Church and a lifelong Red Sox fan.

In the fall of 2012, she moved to Oak Bluffs to be near her son Jack. For the past five years she lived at Windemere, where she excelled at bingo and trivia contests, and took part in the many outings that were made available to her.

She is survived by her two sons, Jack, of Vineyard Haven, and Kevin, of Greensboro, N.C.; five grandchildren, Ryan, Sarah, Scott, Cheryl, and Robert; two great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.

Visiting hours will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 7 from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Chapman, Cole and Gleason Funeral Home in Oak Bluffs.

A funeral mass will be held on Friday, Feb. 9, at 11 a.m. at Our Lady Queen of the Apostles Church in Derby, Conn. Interment will follow at Mt. St. Peter Cemetery in Derby.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Windemere Nursing and Rehabilitation Center Recreational Fund, P.O. Box 1747, Oak Bluffs, MA 02557.