100 years for Clarrie Hore!

Posted May 18, 2016 in Faith

Rev Clarrie Hore celebrated his 100th birthday on Tuesday 10 May this year – making him the oldest living Uniting Church minister in South Australia! Graham Hore provides a brief history of Clarrie’s life and ministry.

Clarrie began preaching at the age of 17 years at Balaklava. In 1943, he went to Whyalla where he was appointed Sunday School Superintendent, and on 7 August that year, married Elsie Tregilgas.

Following the call to ministry, Clarrie began training at Wesley College in March 1945. Starting in 1947, Clarrie spent time in roles at Kingscote, Glanville and Wudinna. He was ordained on 8 March 1950 and appointed to Cleve.

Over the next 32 years, Clarrie held positions at churches located across South Australia – Summertown, Woodville Gardens, Ferryden Park, Campbelltown, Williamstown, Gawler River, Gawler West, Burra, Maitland, and finally, Highbury Street in Prospect.

In 1982, Clarrie finally retired to a house 
in 
Valley View where he and Elsie lived for 29 years. During 
his “retirement” Clarrie was still often called upon to help out at various churches when ministers were sick or on long service leave. Over a period of eight years, Clarrie spent between six weeks and three months at approximately 15 different churches.

Sadly, Elsie later became ill and had to go into a nursing home. Clarrie visited her every day; in 2010, he decided to move to a residence closer to Elsie’s nursing home. She passed away in 2013, aged 93.

In 2015, Clarrie had a fall from his gopher and broke his arm, resulting in nearly three months in hospital and nursing homes. He returned to his own villa in July and has continued to live there since. Each day he is able to have lunch at the nursing home while getting his own breakfast and evening meal himself.

Clarrie still keeps himself occupied by playing carpet bowls every Tuesday, taking great-grandchildren for rides on his gopher, going for slow rides on the gopher around the village, daily exercises to strengthen his arm, attending weekly services at Para Vista Uniting Church, preparing his evening meal, growing petunias, and taking afternoon naps.

Clarrie has five children, 12 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren.

In a recent Pastoral Note, Uniting Church SA Moderator Dr Deidre Palmer made special mention of Clarrie’s 100^th birthday:

“We give thanks to God for Clarrie’s gracious and faithful lifelong service to Christ and the church. We pray God’s blessing on Clarrie as he celebrates his 100 years with his family and friends!”

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