Adele Marie Cork

Adele spent her childhood in Geneva, New York where she attended elementary and junior high school. At the age of 14 she and her mom moved to Eagle Rock, California. Adele graduated from Eagle Rock High School in Summer 1947. She regularly attended Occidental Presbyterian Church in Eagle Rock with friends, Pat and Jean.

Adele’s first job was as a teller at Security First National Bank on Brand Blvd in Glendale.

On October 8, 1949, Adele married Gordon Emil Kasper. Gordon and Adele moved to Van Nuys, California, where they raised two children: a daughter, Deborah, and a son, David.

While living in Van Nuys, she met her longtime friends, Jackie and Ruby. The three enjoyed many Friday nights playing card games, typically Shanghai Rummy and King’s Reverse.

Adele loved cats, horses and Disneyland. She loved cats so much, she subscribed to Cat Fancy Magazine from 1971 until it stopped publication in 2015, and she saved every issue. She also loved Orange County and moved there in 1978. In 1980 she married James Allen Cork and they were together until his death in 1988.

After Jim’s death she discovered her love of ballroom dance and she spent years taking lessons and performing in dance recitals at Imperial Dance Academy in Brea.

Another lifelong friend was Hope, who she corresponded with for many years after Hope moved out of the area.

Adele’s friends described her as a fun and positive person with a sarcastic sense of humor. Her favorite author was Sue Grafton. She collected all of Sue’s alphabet series detective novels.

Adele was a proud grandmother and she loved spending time with her two grandsons. She attended Rose Drive Friends Church in Yorba Linda and made many cherished friends there.

Adele passed away peacefully on March 5, 2021, in Carlsbad California. Adele is survived by her daughter, Deborah Lavin, son-in-law, James Lavin and grandsons, Michael and Ryan Lavin.