Audrey Hylden Corcoran

Our mother, Audrey Hylden Corcoran, passed away on March 11, 2021, eleven days shy of her 93rd birthday. Born March 22,1928, in Grand Forks, North Dakota, to Lars and Ann Phelan Hylden, she was the 10th of 11 children.

She spent her childhood in the small farming town of Park River, North Dakota, where the family homestead still stands. The family moved to Thief River Falls, Minnesota, where Audrey attended high school. She was president of every club at the high school as well as editor of the school paper. We always said that that's where she started honing her extraordinary organizational skills!

While attending Moorhead State Teachers College she met her future husband, Donald Corcoran. After college, she taught for a year at Mount Marty College in Yankton, South Dakota, a request her mother made of all her daughters so that they could prove to themselves that they could support themselves if the need ever arose. That year completed, she married Don "Corky" Corcoran on July 14, 1951 in Thief River Falls. After living in both North Dakota and Minnesota, Don and Audrey settled in Fallbrook in 1964 and lived in the same home until their deaths.

While in Fallbrook, Audrey was a very active member of St. Peter's Catholic Church for many years. She was Director of Religious Education at St. Peter's for 15 years prior to the establishment of St. Peter's Catholic School. She was a well-loved, innovative and effective leader who brought about many positive contributions to the CCD programs.

Together Audrey and Don raised nine children, Murchie Javelosa (Sam), Chad (Heidi), Cecilia Long (Fred), Maggie Kennedy (Garn), Peter (Melissa), Paul (Debbie), Don (Sharon), Cari Corcoran Anderson, Matt (Monica). Husband Donald and daughter Maggie preceded Audrey in death.

She is also survived by 16 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.

Audrey was an amazing mother. She raised nine happy, successful children. Both Audrey and Don had a gift for parenting that gave all their children amazing role models. We can only hope that we can do as well.

Because of pandemic concerns, private family services are being held.