Elissa Lorelei Longhurst

Lorelei was born on June 16, 1941, in Lincoln, Nebraska, to Arthur “Ray” Scott and Alma “Lorraine” (Kembery). She was the eldest of five children and spent her early life in Lincoln, Nebraska. She was a great help to her mother in caring for her siblings (Steven, Lucia, Terry, and Loretta) and maintained close relationships with them throughout her life.

In 1959, Lorelei graduated from high school and married Louis Zocchi who was serving in the U.S. Air Force, stationed in Japan. Lorelei joined her then-husband in Japan, where their first two children were born (Louis “David” and Suzanne). The next two children were born a few years later in Biloxi, MS (LaRee and Lisa).

Lorelei and Louis divorced in 1976. As a single mother, Lorelei attended college courses in nursing and accounting. She and her children lived in Utah and Arizona before settling in the Denver area in 1982.

In 1987, Lorelei married Jerry Longhurst (the great love of her life) and inherited a large, combined family. Jerry had been widowed twice before meeting and marrying Lorelei.

Lorelei and her son David moved into the Longhurst family home in Longmont, Colorado, where Lorelei took on the role of step-mother to Jerry’s three school-aged sons (Jeremy, James, and Jared). Jerry’s other children, as well as Lorelei’s, were adults at this point living elsewhere.

Over the years, Lorelei took on various careers in home health care, market research, and as a real estate agent, but above all, she excelled as a loving wife and mother. She was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ Latter-day Saints (LDS) and volunteered at the Longmont Stake Genealogical Library. Lorelei dedicated many hours to genealogy research, which she greatly enjoyed.

Also, while in Japan, Lorelei had learned to make Japanese floral arrangements and studied pattern making. She was an extremely skilled seamstress creating furniture slipcovers and drapes for interior designers. Tailoring and altering clothing were additional skills, among many. She also enjoyed singing, dancing, and writing poetry.

Lorelei is survived by her husband, Jerry Longhurst, her son David Zocchi, and stepsons Jason (Tammy) Longhurst, James (Mei-Hsiu) Longhurst, and Jared (Valerie) Longhurst. She is also survived by her daughters Suzanne (Blayde) Crockett, LaRee Sorensen, and Lisa Zocchi as well as stepdaughters Debra (John) Baglini, Christina McFarland, Wendy Paredes, and Sophie (Jason) Drost. Her siblings, Terry Scott, Lucia (Angel) Morillo, and Loretta Scott, also survive her, as well as eight grandchildren, twenty-one step grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, and nine step great-grandchildren.

Lorelei was preceded in death by her parents, her stepson Jeremy Longhurst, her stepdaughter Pamela Longhurst, and her brother Steven Scott.

Lorelei will forever be deeply loved and greatly missed by those who had the pleasure of knowing such a loyal, kind, and gentle soul.

A funeral service for Lorelei will be held on Saturday, January 20, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located at 2200 11th Avenue, Longmont, Colorado 80501.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.howemortuary.com for the Longhurst family.