Lorene Waldron (1923-2012)

   My father's sister, Lorene, passed away this week on 26 Nov 2012.  She died peacefully in her sleep.  She was my father's oldest of three sisters.  Here is a short bio I wrote in 2004.

Lorene
High School

     Ethel Lorene Hork was born Aug 3, 1923 in Santa Monica, California.  She attended St. George's Catholic Grammar School and Chaffey Union High School in Ontario. In grammar school, Lorene remembers "skipping second grade to the third grade and crowning the Blessed Virgin in Our May Church procession." She also won the American Legion School award.

      Her first job was as an usherette in a movie theater in Napa. She was paid $12.00 a week. She worked for the Army as a civilian for 18 months and lived in Japan not far from the Imperial Palace. After working there, she traveled around the world with friends visiting Asia, the Middle East and Europe. She returned to the United States on the Queen Mary.

Lorene & Wally

      Lorene married Wallace William Waldron on October 11, 1958 in Las Vegas, Nevada. She recalls that the Monsignor Ryan, who married them, also married Bing and Kathy Crosby. After marrying Lorene and Wally, he showed them around Las Vegas.

     They first lived in an apartment in San Francisco. They also lived in San Diego and Los Gatos. Some other jobs Lorene worked: in a hospital in Napa and Pittsburg, working for 3 doctors. She also worked 25 years with the California Department of Motor Vehicles.

    Wally died March 8, 1985 at Stanford University Hospital. 

    Lorene continued living on her own, traveling often to see family and friends.  Some trips she made together with my father.  Later, when she was unable to live on her own, she moved to Marin county where my cousin took care of her affairs while she lived in an assisted living facility.

Lorene upper left with sisters & brother

   She was well-remembered by her nieces and nephews as the "fun" aunt.  She was spirited, adventuresome  and funny.  She told wonderful stories of her life as a young woman and she seemed so unafraid of living her life to the fullest.  She will be dearly missed by all of us.  Rest in Peace, Aunt Lorene.

Copyright © 2012 by Lisa Suzanne Gorrell, My Trails into the Past