Elizabeth Morford Grande

1906 - 2005

Elizabeth Morford Grande, 99, of Irvine died on Sept. 20, 2005, at Mesa Verde Convalescence Hospital in Costa Mesa.

She was born May 27, 1906, in Country Village Township, Havana, Minn., daughter of Roy and Elizabeth Morford. She graduated from Owatonna High School in 1924, then studied voice and singing for two years at the highly accredited Pillbury Academy in Owatonna. She attended Carlton College in Northfield, Minn., then McPhail School of Music in Minneapolis, where she graduated in 1931 with a bachelor's degree in music.

Mrs. Grande was a highly talented singer, musician, and teacher. In the summer of 1929, while she was a student at McPhail School of Music, she toured the Upper Midwest states and Canada in a Chautaqua traveling musical, having won the part of Patience Davis in Old Crusty Company 1. She later taught English, singing, piano, and violin, and became the supervisor of music in the public schools of Wells Blue County, Minn.

Elizabeth married John F. Grande on June 20, 1935, in Long Beach, Calif. They met in Minnesota, when he heard her singing in the apartment across from his. In the mid- to late 1930s, she sang with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Chorus. She was very active in every community she ever lived in. She worked with disabled children, was a Girl Scout leader, taught Sunday school, and volunteered her time in the local senior citizen center. Elizabeth was a loving wife and mother. Hers would be a good model of a life well-lived.

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 57 years.

She is survived by her children: daughter, Ellen Grande Parker of Westlake Village, and sons, Steven Grande of Irvine and Owen Grande of San Diego; and grandchildren, Chris Parker and Lauren Parker.

A private family memorial service will be held in celebration of her life.

How could it be That one day I will say Goodbye to all this And miss the sweet scent of spring The Maytime whirr of birds on a wing In summertime When day and evening blurr and blend I'll not be here with a friend When autumn comes I'll make no shadow on the wall Or see the colored leaves of fall. The day the silent snow descends And lulls to sleep all living friends I too will sleep Cradled and rocked in the ocean deep Do not weep, Once more our souls will be free to meet `-Elizabeth Morford Grande