July 17th, 2010
Rest In Peace James Durward Core.
Owner and Co-Founder of Inyo-Mono Title Company.
The Sierra Wave:
‘Sierra Wave’ “TV, Radio and
the Web”
A man who lent money, advice and support to countless business owners
in the Eastern Sierra died last Saturday. Jim Core
This photo of the animated Core was taken at his and Jo's 50th wedding
anniversary.
was 74. He was surrounded by family when he died at his home in Bishop
after a long battle with Lou Gehrig's disease.
When the banks wouldn't help prospective business people in Inyo and
Mono, Jim Core was there, gaining the moniker "The Secret Bank of
Mammoth". He was the founding CEO and President of the family-owned
business, Inyo-Mono Title Company, located in Bishop and Mammoth from
1983 until his recent retirement.
Survivors include loving wife Jo Core of 57 years. Jim and Jo met in
kindergarten in Paris, Arkansas, where Jim was born. They met up again
in the early 1940s in Port Hueneme when they were juniors in high
school. Relatives said their love was that of a lifetime.
Jim is also survived by son and daughter-in-law, Jerry and Debbie Core
of Bishop, daughter and son-in-law Judy and Rick Markham of Bishop,
five grand children and four great grand children: Mike Core of
Ventura, James Markham of Mammoth, Michelle Forbis of Bishop, Tyler
Core of Bishop and Julie Core of Australia, Ryan and Eric Forbis of
Bishop and Kadyn and Owyn Core of Ventura, plus countless friends and
admirers.
Jim had a great sense of humor, and as family said, you would always
find a smile on his face. He lit up any room he entered and never knew
a stranger, they said. He was described as a devoted family man who
loved to travel with Jo and their dog, Tibby. He liked Dollywood and
The Grand Ole Opry. Jim loved golf and craps and a good game of poker.
Jim had worked in the title and escrow business since he was 18. He
worked in Ventura, Concord and Merced before the family moved to
Bishop. His two children continued the title and escrow work as have
two grandchildren.
Private services were held on July 20 at Pioneer Cemetery in Bishop. A
public memorial for Jim Core will soon be announced in Mammoth.
Donations can be made to Renown Hospital Institute of Neuroscience,
ALS Division, Attn: Lisa Jonkey, 10101 Double R. Blvd., Reno, NV 89521
or the Hospice of the Owens Valley.
Read the story here:
http://news.sierrawave.net/eastern-sierra-news/3575-jim-core-key-contributor-to-eastern-sierra-communities
‘The Sheet’: “News, Views and
culture of the Eastern Sierra.”
Posted on23 July 2010.
Jim Core, dubbed the “Bank of Mammoth” by the late
Rick Blake and considered by many to be one of Mammoth’s three “icons”
of the real estate and business communities (along with Dave McCoy and
Tom Dempsey) passed away last Saturday. He was 74.
Core, who co-owned the Inyo-Mono Title Company with
his son Jerry, is survived by Jo, his wife of 57 years, Jerry,
daughter Judy Markham, five grandchildren and four
great-grandchildren.
Core was born in Paris, Arkansas in 1936. His
family moved to the Ventura, Calif. area in the early 1940s. He was in
the title insurance and escrow business for over fifty years, starting
out in Ventura with stops in Concord and Merced before settling in the
Eastern Sierra in 1983.
Soon after his arrival, son Jerry said that the
United States Geological Survey’s (USGS) determination that Mammoth
had “volcanic issues” led to a tremendous amount of economic
uncertainty and property foreclosures. No banks would lend on Mammoth
property. So Core stepped forward with a group of fellow Rotarians to
establish a funding source for builders and buyers. “I know we funded
a lot of people’s payrolls in the ‘80s,” said Jerry.
As Stacey Bardfield of Mammoth Sierra Properties
added, “Jim provided the bridge between the people who had money and
the people who needed it.”
“Because of him, many people in Mammoth Lakes are
where they are today, me included,” said local real estate developer
John Hooper.
“All of us would consider him a mentor,” Bardfield
added. “He helped everyone from the guy trying to buy the mobile home
to the guy building the multimillion dollar spec home to the lonely
real estate agent who didn’t know what to do with their life.”
Bardfield said Core would hand-deliver commission
checks and then sit down to chat, and it’s the memory of those
personal conversations which she will forever cherish.
John Hooper described Core as “Easily the most
knowledgeable person I’ve ever met in real estate and business. I
always sought his advice before making any major decisions.”
“He was the most generous person I’ve ever met,”
continued Hooper. “Some say he was generous to a fault, but … I don’t
think generosity can be described as a character flaw.
He was one the few people left whom you could do
business with on a handshake.”
Son Jerry recalled his mother’s observation that
“He [Jim] never met a stranger.” He had an instant connection with
people who liked and trusted him and sought his opinion.
As Jerry said, “He gave people a fuzzy feeling.”
And he had a wonderful laugh. In a crowded room, you could identify
where he was.
Jerry said his mother and father were always
identified as a team and were invariably together. In fact, Jim and Jo
knew each other as kindergartners in Arkansas and reconnected in high
school after Jo’s family also moved out to California.
Jo was her husband’s faithful caregiver from the
time he was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease (ALS) in January, 2009
until his passing.
Inyo-Mono Title is and has always been a family
business, and that extends beyond the children and grandchildren who
have joined Inyo- Mono Title over time. “Everybody with us [at the
company] is a part of our family,” said Jerry.
Just family, employees past and present and a
handful of others were present at funeral services Tuesday.
Those who wish to make contributions in Core’s
memory can do so by contributing to ALS research via:
Renown Institute for Neurosciences
ALS Division – Attn. Lisa Jonkey
10101 Double R Blvd.
Reno, NV 89521
Read the full article here:
http://thesheetnews.com/archives/3732
The Inyo Register
The following is a
complete listing of obituaries as they appeared in the July 24, 2010
edition of The Inyo Register.
James ‘Jim’ Core
1936-2010
Private funeral services were held July 20 at the Pioneer Cemetery in
Bishop for 27-year Bishop and Mammoth resident James “Jim” Durward
Core. A public memorial for Jim will soon be announced in Mammoth.
Born in January of 1936 in Paris, Ark., Jim died July 17, 2010 at his
home in Bishop with his family by his side after a long battle with
ALS, Lou Gehrig’s disease.
Jim was the founding CEO and president of the family-owned business,
Inyo-Mono Title Company, located in Bishop and Mammoth, from 1983
until his recent retirement.
Jim was a devoted family man. He loved to travel with his wife, Jo,
and their dog, Tibby. He enjoyed places like Dollywood and The Grand
Ole Opry. Jim loved to play golf and craps and was always ready for a
good game of poker.
Jim met his beloved wife Jo in kindergarten in Paris, Ark. and
ultimately, the families moved to Port Hueneme in the early 1940s,
where they met up once again as juniors at Oxnard High School, fell in
love all over again and began a relationship that lasted 57 years.
Jim had a great sense of humor, and you would always find a smile on
his face. He lit up any room he walked into. Jim never met a stranger.
Jim had been in the title and escrow business since he was 18 years
old. He had worked in Ventura, Concord and Merced prior to the family
move to Bishop. His two children followed in his foot-steps and then
two grandchildren also followed as third generation “title and escrow
guys” to continue his legacy.
Jim is survived by his loving wife of 57 years, Jo Core; son and
daughter-in-law, Jerry and Debbie Core of Bishop; daughter and
son-in-law Judy and Rick Markham of Bishop; five grandchildren and
four great-grandchildren, Mike Core of Ventura, James Markham of
Mammoth, Michelle Forbis of Bishop, Tyler Core of Bishop and Julie
Core of Australia, Ryan and Eric Forbis of Bishop and Kadyn and Owyn
Core of Ventura. His survivors also include countless friends.
Donations can be made to Renown Hospital Institute of Neuroscience,
ALS Division, Attn: Lisa Jonkey, 10101 Double R. Blvd., Reno, NV 89521
or the Hospice of the Owens Valley.
Read the full article here:
http://www.inyoregister.com/content/view/121794/32/
JUNE 8th, 2009
INYO-MONO TITLE COMPANY AWARDED
'BEST OF BISHOP 2009' BY THE U.S COMMERCE ASSOCIATION!
CLICK THE PICTURE ABOVE OR THIS TEXT TO VIEW THE PRESS RELEASE ABOUT
THIS AWARD
JANUARY 30th, 2009
CONGRATULATIONS RICHARD HARRIES
FOR 25 YEARS OF EXCELLENT SERVICE!
OWNER JERRY CORE PRESENTS RICHARD HARRIES WITH A
25 YEAR ANNIVERSARY HANDSHAKE AND GIFT ON BEHALF OF INYO-MONO TITLE
COMPANY.
Richard began his career
with Inyo-Mono Title Company on January 30, 1984 as a Title Officer.
Richard grew up in the Owens Valley from the age of a young boy. His
father was employed with Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and
the family was located in the Olancha/Cartago area. Richard grew up
knowing a great deal about the Owens Valley through his father.
Richard left the valley for a short period of time to begin his career
in the title industry and moved to the Los Angeles area. In January
1984 Jerry Core offered him a position with Inyo-Mono Title Company
and convinced him to move back to the Owens Valley. It seemed too
appropriate for Richard to return to the area where his family resides
and a place that he loves and knows so much about. And the rest is history.
Richard now holds the position of Chief Title Officer with the company
and is very well respected by his peers and customers. A Grand
Surprise Party was held in celebration of this event, attended by over
100 people. Richard was totally surprised, as many of the attendees
included many friends, family, past employees and customers.
Congratulations Richard on 25 successful years!
CLICK HERE TO VIEW ARTICLES/PICTURES FEATURING INYO-MONO TITLE
COMPANY!
