Elaine Kimes Cargile Hushbeck
Jan. 15, 1930-Sept. 25, 2016
Palo Alto, California
Submitted by Gerald Cargile

Elaine was born on January 15, 1930, in Dinuba, the only child of Moody and Erna Kimes. For the first three years of her life she lived above the North Dinuba Santa Fe Railroad depot where her father was a station agent.

Elaine attended Dinuba High School. She was in chorus, performed in several plays and musicals and was an award-winning majorette in the school band. It was during this time she met William Cargile. After graduating in 1947, she was named Miss Tulare County and competed in the Miss California Centennial Pageant at the State Fair in Sacramento.

Elaine earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Education and a teaching credential at Fresno State University in 1951. She stayed in Fresno and taught elementary school until the early 1960s, when she moved to East Palo Alto to marry William Cargile.

They built their home on East Meadow Drive in Palo Alto in 1963, and she lived there for more than 50 years. She taught kindergarten in the Ravenswood School District until she took a break from teaching to have her children: Gerald in 1966 and Ronald in 1969. Once her children were a few years old, she resumed her teaching career, now teaching first-, second- and third grade science and art at the Trinity Parish/Phillips Brooks School in Menlo Park until her retirement.

She was widowed in 1982 with William’s passing. Elaine and her sons became members of Covenant Presbyterian Church in 1983, where she enjoyed singing in the choir. It was in the choir that she met Howard Hushbeck. Elaine and Howard were married in 1987, and she left teaching to enjoy her retirement with Howard two years later. In her lifetime, Elaine traveled throughout the United States, to Canada, Europe and the British Isles and enjoyed visiting the family cabin in Wilsonia, a community located within Kings Canyon National Park. She was also an avid San Francisco Giants and 49ers fan, frequently startling the cat when she cheered on her teams.

Elaine's health started to decline after Howard's death in 2013, and she passed away at The Birches Residential Care facility in Palo Alto on Sept. 25, 2016, from complications of a stroke suffered earlier in the year. She was laid to rest at Alta Mesa Memorial Park in a small, private ceremony.

She is survived by her sons Gerry and Ron and daughters-in-law Lara and Linda.

Tags: teacher/educator