Loretta June Colvey, a resident of Pacific Palisades since 1944, passed away on October 4. She was 95 years old. Born in Wichita, Kansas, June moved with her family to Santa Monica when she was four years old. She went on to attend both Santa Monica City College and Southwestern Business School. While working at Campbell’s Men and Boys Store in Santa Monica, June met and married her husband of 53 years, Harris Rae Colvey. In 1944, they moved to Pacific Palisades, and in October 1946 ‘they opened Colvey’s on Antioch, which remained in business for over 50 years (in a space now occupied by Elyse Walker). June loved the Palisades and was active in the community. She was a member of the Santa Monica Bay Junior Women’s Club in the 1940’s and was president from 1944 to 1945. For several years she was one of the leaders of her older daughter Lorie’s Girl Scout troop. One year she was put in charge of cookie sales for the Palisades. To increase sales she had a picture of Rae put in the Palisadian-Post with several of the girls selling him cookies. That year was a banner year for cookie sales. Together, Rae and June had a vision for the Palisades and were actively involved with the Chamber of Commerce in several community events to help promote the area. They were instrumental in establishing the Village Green where a gas station once stood. June poured her heart and soul into Colvey’s as she worked side by side with her husband. They expanded the business several times to include boys’ wear, children’s shoes and eventually a women’s department. Together they were the perfect team. Rae handled the front of the house while June excelled in the back; utilizing her sharp business acumen she maintained the finances, personnel and the front desk. In an effort to build community through their store, Rae and June would host turtle races. A customer would buy a pair of Keds, receive a turtle and enter the next Turtle Race for prizes that included a bicycle as the top prize. Colvey’s became a second home for the family. At Christmas, you could see various family members at the front desk or in back wrapping gifts. Working there was the first job for not only their own daughters, but several of their grandchildren as well. June was a strong and determined woman. Before his passing, Rae became ill and was confined to a wheelchair. June still managed to run the business and care for her husband, getting him to the store every afternoon. Even though Rae passed in 1994, June continued on and ran the store by herself’keeping the business going until she closed the store in 1999. June leaves behind her two daughters, Loretta Vanderwall (husband Robert) of South Pasadena and Carolyn Hunt of Cave Creek, Arizona; six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Memorial services will be private.
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