Corinne B. Hilding

Corinne was born to Fred and Helen Beaudoin on Feb. 29, 1928, in Joseph, Ore. She grew up riding her horse, Ginger, to a one-room schoolhouse in Imnaha, Ore. She lost her only brother, Frederick, in World War II. Corinne became a very accomplished piano player and graduated from Washington State University in 1951 with an elementary school major and a music minor. Her first teaching assignment was in 1951, in Almira, Wash. There, she met Richard Hilding, also a teacher/coach, whom she married Aug. 14, 1953, in Spokane.

The Hildings moved to Seattle, where their only son, Kevin, was born in 1959. In 1965, the family settled in San Jose, Calif. In 1997, she welcomed her beloved daughter-in-law, Theresa, into the family.

Corinne taught fifth grade in the Saratoga Unified School District at Congress Springs and Argonaut elementary schools, where she started every morning with patriotic songs from her classroom piano. In the 1970s, she was named the Saratoga Public School Teacher of the Year and the Santa Clara County Teacher of the Year.

Corinne grew up on a ranch and loved animals, her family, gardening, everything Christmas, classic Hollywood movies and the color pink. She was especially proud of her grandchildren, Bjorn and Leif. She is survived by her husband of 62 years, Richard; her son, Kevin (Theresa); and her grandsons. The family would like to extend heartfelt thanks to Hospice of the Valley and Thompson Funeral Home of Goodyear, Ariz., for their care and compassion. Memorial contributions can be made to any no-kill animal shelter.

A graveside service will be in Richard's hometown of Lewiston at 11 a.m. Oct. 17 at Normal Hill Cemetery. Service arrangements are under the direction of Vassar-Rawls Funeral Home in Lewiston.