Eleanor LaCore Currie

  Eleanor LaCore Currie was born in Modesto on January 13, 1929 to Ray and Minnie Hiatt. The youngest of 8 children, she grew up on the family farm on Floyd Ave, across from where Somerset Jr Hi would eventually be built. Eleanor attended Bel Passi School, Modesto High School(Class of ‘47) and Modesto Jr College. She started taking voice lessons as a teenager, singing solos throughout the community and in several choirs: First Methodist, Centenary Methodist, First Baptist(CrossPoint), Masterworks and the Symphony Chorus. Her clear and lovely voice was a comfort and blessing as she visited the homebound, singing while strumming her autoharp.
   When Eleanor was in high school she started working for Shoob Photography. She learned the art of tinting color into black and white photos. She also went on to work tinting for Gordon Ham Photography well into the 1970’s. It was in high school that Eleanor met her husband Bud LaCore. They married in 1950 and soon had twin boys Tom and Stan and daughter Yvonne. Bud and Eleanor were very involved in service organizations and were youth leaders at Centenary Methodist, taking high schoolers on many pack trips in the high Sierras. In 1969, Bud and Eleanor’s faith in God grew as they received Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, entering into a personal relationship with God that they had never experienced before. Bud joined the staff at First Baptist Church and became a pastor, selling his tire company shortly thereafter. Eleanor relished her role as a pastor’s wife. She had great love for people with a gift of hospitality and music. Bud died suddenly of a heart attack in 1995. Eleanor was a pillar of strength in the family through this time.
    In 1997, Dick Currie of Seattle, an old high school friend who lost his wife to cancer, made contact and soon a romance developed. Five months later they were married! A loving relationship lasted 13 years until Dick died of cancer when they were both 80 years old. After that Eleanor lived alone at their home on Lorry Ave until 2017, when Eleanor moved to Bethel Retirement Community. She thrived there, singing in the choir, attending church and Bible Studies, and leading worship. The Bethel Community offered her the love and care that helped her in her final years. The family is forever grateful for all they have done.
  Eleanor passed away on Christmas Day 2021, just 19 days shy of being 93. She was ready and eager to graduate to her heavenly home, being reunited with her loved ones. Eleanor is survived by her 3 children: Tom(Laurie) LaCore, Stan(Brenda) LaCore and Yvonne(Rick) Thompson, all of Modesto. She has 7 grandchildren: Jennifer(Adam) Ahlswede of Groveland, Mark(Megan) LaCore of San Jose, Corinne(Chad) Cline of Columbia, TN, Katharine(Mike) Reynolds of Modesto, Brett(Samantha) LaCore of Modesto, Joni(Jeff) Griepp of Modesto, and Jeff Thompson of Santa Clarita. She is also survived by 13 great-grandchildren.
Eleanor’s memorial service will be held at a future date due to COVID19.  Graveside service will be private at Lakewood. Franklin & Downs is in charge of arrangements.

 

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