Cora Mae Mcbee, 81, was born February 14, 1938, in Tucumcari New Mexica to Lowell Francis and Mae Lucille (Pruitt) Groves. She died peacefully in her sleep, November 28, 2019 in Fairfield California, due to complications from Alzheimer’s disease. Cora attended Wallowa High School, Wallowa Oregon, graduating in 1956. She met, then married Joe Allan McBee in Wallowa on July 18, 1958.
Joe and Cora moved to Centralia, Washington in 1965. She loved cooking and spent many hours preparing meals for her family and church events. Her most appreciated offering was a meal of fresh Dog Tails served with peanut butter and pancake syrup. Cora spent her life in service to her husband, family and church. While her husband served as the minister of the Centralia Church of Christ for over 50 years, Cora supported him and was a faithful Christian example. Cora’s husband passed away on March 6, 2016, then she would divide her time between her son’s care at her home in Centralia and her daughter’s care in Angela and Darrol’s home in Fairfield, California. As her disease took a greater hold on her, Cora would spend her final months in the caring hands of her daughter, sitting on the porch of her new California home, socializing with neighbors and new friends while sharing stories of past days.
Cora was preceded in death by her parents, husband Joe McBee, brothers Newman (Pearl) Groves, and Vonnie (Joanne) Groves. She is survived by her brothers, Jack (Faye) Groves, Fred Groves, Sister Patricia (Stephen) Housley, children Lowell (Diana) McBee and Angela (Darrol) Prill. Cora leaves behind her grandchildren, Allan (Kayla) McBee, Nathan (Dessirae) McBee, Nina (Joe) Huguenin, Samantha (Chris) Trombly, Gary Prill, Jeremy (Darci) Martin, Jeff (Tammy) Martin and 16 great grandchildren.
A celebration of life with luncheon to follow is scheduled to be held at the Twin Cities Church of Christ at 12:30 pm on March 28, 2020 following an immediate Family only graveside service at Claquato Cemetery.
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