Obituary

In Loving Memory of Elaine Pierce
July 20, 1948 – October 24, 2024

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Elaine Pierce, 76, of Lake Forest, California. Elaine passed away on Thursday, October 24, 2024, at City of Hope in Duarte, California, after a brave battle with illness.

Elaine is survived by her devoted husband of 56 years, Dennis Pierce; her loving daughters, Krista and Trisha; and her cherished grandson, Carter.

Born on July 20, 1948, in Inglewood, California, Elaine grew up in Downey, where she graduated from Warren High School in 1966. She later attended California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, where she met her future husband, Dennis. The two were married in 1968 in San Luis Obispo, a partnership that lasted more than five decades.

Elaine earned her teaching credentials from both California State University, Los Angeles, and Chapman University. After a brief return to Downey, she and Dennis moved to Lake Forest, where Elaine began a fulfilling 33-year career with the Saddleback Valley Unified School District. She taught at Marguerite M. O’Neill Elementary School in Mission Viejo, where she inspired and shaped the lives of many students. After her retirement, Elaine continued to give back to her community, volunteering for the Philharmonic Society of Orange County and serving as a docent at the Mission San Juan Capistrano, where she particularly enjoyed leading tours for fourth-grade students.

Elaine had a deep passion for travel and enjoyed exploring new destinations, both in the U.S. and abroad. She found great joy in connecting with family, particularly her cousins, and cherished her time spent with them. Elaine also had a green thumb and loved tending to her garden, especially her beloved roses and hydrangeas. Her warmth and kindness extended to all who knew her, and she found joy in the simple pleasures of life—whether it was playing with her dogs, enjoying a Dodgers baseball game, or spending time with friends and family.

Elaine will be deeply missed by all who were fortunate to know her.

A funeral service will be held on Friday, November 15, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. at O’Connor Mortuary in Laguna Hills. The service will be available for viewing online.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made to the City of Hope Cancer Research Foundation for Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) research. Donations can be made online at:
https://ourhope.cityofhope.org/give/286522
Please select “Gehr Family Center for Leukemia Research” from the drop-down menu. For those who wish to send a donation by mail, please include a note indicating that the gift is in memory of Elaine Pierce and should be designated for AML research.

Mail to:

City of Hope

ATTN:  Office of Philanthropy

1500 E. Duarte Road

Duarte, CA  9101