Five, Cora Lee February 26, 1939 - November 16, 2025

Core Lee Five of the upper east side of Manhattan died on November 16, 2025. She was 86 years old.

Cora was raised in Great Neck, Long Island, the daughter of Helge and Lena Five. Helge Five, a civil engineer, was part of the planning staff of Robert Moses, a prolific urban planner who developed roadways, bridges, and beaches in Long Island, changing the area landscape. Helge was an immigrant from Norway where he was a long ski jumper. Lena, daughter of Russian immigrants, had a long career as a guidance counselor in the New York City school system.

Cora received her B.A. degree from Bucknell University and a Master’s degree from Harvard University School of Education. She received a second Master’s Degree in writing from Northeastern University. Cora was a teacher at Edgewood School, Scarsdale New York for 49 years. She specialized in teaching children with learning problems in the regular classroom. She is the author of Special Voices and co-author with Marie Dionisio of Bridging the Gap. Her articles appear in many publications, including the Harvard Educational Review. She won the Edmin A. Hoey Award for Outstanding Educator in the English Language Arts, a winner of Learning Magazines Professional Best Leadership Awards and a spokesperson for Scholastic Publication’s Arrow Book Club. With Cora’s long career at Edgewood, the inevitable happened. The children she taught grew up, got married, and some came back to Edgewood.  They had children and sought out Cora to give their children the same great experience they  had.

Cora was a real New York City person. She loved Manhattan.  She was a member of the West Side Tennis Club, the Cosmopolitan Club, and the Harvard Club of New York. She subscribed faithfully to the New York City Ballet. She was a determined runner, running 10Ks, half marathons, and marathons, including running the New York City marathon twice. She was fond of skiing, both downhill and cross country. She joined friends on trips to Vermont to Colorada to Utah. Cross country was her favorite, always volunteering to break trail, even though she was the smallest and lightest in the group.

Cora partnered with Richard, her significant other for over 50 years. Together they had a grand time!  They enjoyed the many attractions of Manhattan and Sag Harbor, their summer retreat. And there were vacations to Norway to see Cora’s 5 cousins, many trips to Europe and a couple of trips to Belize and its tiny cays miles out in the middle of the ocean. There Cora even caught some fish, two on one lure!

Cora loved cats. She always had two, sometimes three. But she always wanted a dog. It was not practical with her work schedule. Finally, with retirement and against Richard’s advice, she acquired a Havanese dog Pepe who became the love of her life. Richard had to admit, Pepe was a really great dog. Even the cats loved him.

Cora had a very rich life.  She taught over 1200 students in her career, bringing them the joy of reading and writing, and becoming lifelong learners.  She is survived by her sister Ellen and her beloved partner Richard.

Please join Ellen Wilson [Cora’s sister], Trude Opsal, Else Groves [both Norwegian Families] and Richard [Dick] Ditoro to share remembrances of Cora on Saturday, December 13th, 1-4 PM at the McGrath Funeral Home, 20 Cedar Street, Bronxville, NY 10708, very near the Bronxville railroad station [see Metro-North, Harlem Line schedule].