Obituary On Monday, October 18th, 2021 our loving and adored mother, grandmother and great grandmother returned to her husband, sister, earthly parents, and heavenly parents.
Coreen was born on March 24, 1931 in Ogden, Utah to Verona and Richard Thorne. She was blessed to have a happy childhood and made many good memories with her younger sister LuAnn and their parents. She grew up in Salt Lake City, Utah and Glendale, California where she graduated from Glendale High School in 1948.
After Coreen graduated from high school, she chose to continue her education at Occidental College in Los Angeles. Coreen’s major at Occidental was Music Education. She chose this major because she enjoyed music, and she would be able to find work easily when she graduated. While at Occidental Coreen sang soprano in the glee club and studied both voice and piano privately. Coreen graduated with her BA degree in 1952 and started her first job as a fifth-grade teacher at Columbus Elementary.
Coreen met Stan McGuire in Glendale and they became friends beginning in 1950. They saw each other at church and other activities and worked closely together in the ward choir. They dated for a few years and were then married on June 21, 1954 in the Salt Lake City Temple.
Coreen and Stan had five children whom she was devoted to. She chose to stay home and care for them instead of continuing her teaching career and was able to help with the family expenses by teaching piano lessons. Most of those years raising the children were spent at their home of over thirty years in Glendale on Emerald Terrace. After the children were all in school, Coreen volunteered to be the accompanist for the Tunesmiths, a large choral group at Balboa Elementary where her children attended. She was also involved in the PTA and volunteered in many other capacities as well, including playing the piano for various musical productions.
Throughout the years, Coreen displayed a willingness to serve not only her family and community, but her brothers and sisters in the Gospel as well. Her energy, talents and sheer force of personality have influenced many for good and brought beauty into their lives. Coreen was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. She held several church callings throughout her life including Relief Society President, ward organist, stake organist, choir accompanist, Primary music director, choir director, Relief Society Cultural Refinement teacher, stake missionary, temple worker in the baptistry and organist at the Provo Temple. Perhaps her most rewarding calling came later in life as a full-time missionary in the New Hampshire Manchester Mission from 1999 to 2001 where she and Stan were tour guides at the Joseph Smith Birthplace Memorial in Sharon, Vermont.
Coreen and Stan moved to Provo, Utah in 1994 where Coreen’s cousin designed for them a beautiful, modern home. When they returned to their home in Provo, Utah after their mission Coreen’s health and body began to slow down from what they once were. She would struggle for the following 20 years from pulmonary hypertension and heart issues. Stan took great care of Coreen during this time. As the years progressed, they realized that they needed a home that wouldn’t be as much work for them, and in 2008 they decided to purchase a condominium in Edgemont Meadows, not far from their Provo home. Coreen would live in the condo until 2019, a year after Stan’s passing. As her health continued to decline, it became apparent that Coreen needed round the clock care and so she moved into the beautiful Covington Senior Living in Orem.
Coreen is survived by her five children Richard (Amy) McGuire, Julie (Richard) Searfoss, David (Kristina) McGuire, Paul (Denise) McGuire, and Heather (Randy) Pinder, 19 grandchildren, and 14 great grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her sister, LuAnn Anderson, her husband, Stanton McGuire, and her parents, Verona (Ronnie) and Richard Thorne.
The family would like to express their sincere gratitude to all the healthcare workers and staff at Covington Senior Living who devoted their time and love to Coreen’s care these past two years.
A celebration of Coreen’s life will be held on Saturday, October 30th, 2021 at 11:00 am at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints at 4300 N Canyon Road, Provo, Utah, 84604.