Carol Jean Loree

Carol Jean Russell (York) Loree, 80, passed away July 19, 2019.  She was born November 7, 1938 to Robert and Virginia (Thompson) Russell in San Jose, CA.

Carol grew up the middle child and had a "happy go lucky" childhood.  After the family moved to Southern Oregon in 1949, she loved living on their small ranch and was involved in 4-H for several years.  She raised a Holstein dairy calf that she won at the county fair but her favorite was a beautiful Jersey cow named Princess. She and her older sister helped around the ranch with haying, weeding sugar beets and their mother's large garden as well as picking berries in the summer months for the family.  They also had dairy cows for awhile plus two horses and she'd often ride "Coalie" to visit her friends.  

After graduation from Crater High School in Central Point, OR, and two years at Marylhurst College in Lake Oswego, OR, she married her high school sweetheart and moved to San Jose, CA.  Three of their children were born there and the fourth in San Mateo. After returning to the Pacific Northwest, they added a second girl to the family. Now they had a "full house" - a poker hand of three of a kind and a pair!  

That marriage ended in 1980 and, while still working in the Beaverton School District, she returned to college part-time, eventually graduating in 1985 with a Bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Portland State University.  Miraculously a job opened for her in the very school where she had been secretary to the principal. It was a most fulfilling year, teaching second grade. That also was the year she met her second husband, Earl.

As Earl was studying there, they were married in Israel in July of 1985 and participated in a very interesting archaeological dig near Tel Aviv.  Later they entered YWAM (Youth With A Mission) and spent eleven years in missions work. It took them to Wisconsin for a season, then Richmond, VA, where they helped start and led the first inter-nations School of Jewish Studies for YWAM.  Their last couple of years there they worked under Russian Immigration Services.

During their service in missions they traveled to several countries including Israel, Guatemala, the Philippines, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Communist China, Korea, Hungary, Switzerland, Finland, Russia and Ukraine.  Later they also visited Carol's youngest daughter who was living and working in Germany at the time. They loved to explore and meet people and, over time, traveled to 48 of the 50 states, not quite reaching Maine and New Hampshire.

After twelve years in missions work, mostly based in Richmond, VA, she and Earl returned home to Oregon and settled in Joseph, where they spent 15 wonderful years.  She and Earl were active in the Wallowa County Search and Rescue group for over 14 years, manning the base camp and cooking meals. Carol also served as their secretary for two years. 

Carol led a very full life and was a strong Christian who lived by faith and was most proud to leave a legacy of God's gift to her five children, grandchildren and a great-grandchild.

She is survived by her children; Anne (John) Maloney of Redmond, OR; Dennis (Karen) York; Brian (Mary) York of Molalla, OR; Patricia (Carlos White) York of Parker, CO; daughter-in-law, Sandi of Aurora, CO; six grandchildren, Michael (Chelsea) Maloney, Sean (Tara) Maloney, Sarah Gordin, Julia York, Mitchell York, and Samantha White; one great-grandchild, Bryce Maloney.  She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Earl Loree and son Michael York.

Celebration of Life will be held at 10:00 AM, July 26, 2019  at the Parker Funeral Home, 10325 Parkglenn Way, Parker, CO.

Memorial Donations may be sent to Wallowa County Search and Rescue of Enterprise, Oregon, YWAM Jewish World Office, Richmond, Virginia or Congregation Yeshuat Tsion, Denver, Colorado.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Carol Jean Loree, please visit our floral store.