On Jan. 22, 2026, Cora Lee Durkin passed into eternal peace at Aberdeen Hospital. She had bravely and quietly battled cancer for the previous five months. During her final moments, she was held in the arms of her husband of 51+ years and her third eldest son, Shane. With her passing the ambient background music or the world carried her into Heaven with a sorrowful but beautiful minor key lament.
Cora Lee was born to Norman and Eleanor Foxwell on June 23, 1952, in Olympia, Washington. She grew up with two beloved sisters, Alto Lee — nine years older — and Lora Lee, younger by three years. She grew up studying in Olympia schools graduating from Olympia High School in 1970. With a desire to teach, she attended Centralia College for 1 1/2 years. Her plans, however, changed, and she perused training which culminated in her becoming a licensed beautician, working in salons in Olympia.
Cora Lee possessed a deep desire to become “more Irish.” In that vein, she converted to the Catholic faith and started singing and playing her guitar at the Michael’s Folk Mass on Saturday nights. It was there that she first heard the striking deep voice of her future husband, Ed Durkin who also enjoyed taking part in the Folk Choir. After a musical and happy courtship on 2 1/2 years, they married on Aug. 2, 1970 and remained in committed wedlock for 51+ years. She and Ed gave the world four wonderful sons; Joe, Ryan, Shane, and Neil.
In their early years together, living in Bonney Lake, the couple were both employed at Rainier State School. Cora Lee cared lovingly for the residents there for the next 22 years. In 2022 she relocated to Taholah School near Ocean Shores and worked as a Special Education Parapro, finally attaining her earlier aspiration to teach children. As a couple, Cora Lee and Ed sang in the local parish and were eventually invited to sing with the North Beach Singers. They joined this talented group and sang with them since 2004. With her talent and love of music, Cora Lee became the director at St. Jerome’s Choir and also the North Beach Singers until her last concert in December 2025.
Some women are born to be mothers, some to be teachers and some to be carers for others. Cora Lee achieved all of these service-oriented vocations. But in addition to all of her varied occupations, Cora Lee was inherently born to sing. When involved in the concerts she directed with music she selected, Cora Lee appeared to light up and energize both the singers and the crowd. She and Ed sang together in a mutual harmony that soothed and pleased the souls of anyone lucky enough to hear them. For those like Cora Lee, for whom the symphonies of life accompany their days, melodies playing in her mind could always cause a shy smile to appear.
Cora Lee enjoyed crafts and kindly created Christmas presents with her own hands. Sharon, one of her nieces, remembered that she was never able to find a souvenir with her name inscribed on it while her siblings always picked theirs out. One Christmas, this niece was so excited to find a mug specially decorated with her very own name. She still remembers how happy the Cora Lee creation made her.
Another niece remembered that always around Cora Lee there was an aura of peace. In an otherwise active and noisy family, that peaceful presence was precious.
A celebration of Cora Lee’s life is planned for Feb. 14, 2026 starting at 12 p.m. at St.Jerome’s Catholic Church, 15 Patrick Way, Ocean Shores, Washington. Please join us to hear Cora Lee’s musical friends serenade her into her eternal reward.
Cremation services handled by Harrison Family Mortuary, Aberdeen, Washington.
