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Elaine with Santa’s Warren (2019)
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“I Love You More, Live every Moment, and of course drive that Corvette!!”
Elaine Obert was probably known best by most Hallmark collectors on the Yulelog Collector’s Bulletin Board as “Corvette Elaine,” where from 2000 to 2020, she was a consistent, positive presence. Her posts were easy to find… just look for that little yellow Corvette.
Those who did not know her on Yulelog likely ran into her many times over the years at Hallmark Conventions, artist signings and maybe even at a Flamingo Fling. Elaine was also an active member of her hometown local KOC club, the Berea Tree Trimmers and the Good Cheer Collector’s Club in Akron, Ohio. Online she belonged to the Yuleloggers and Digital Dreamers. In the national KOC, she held a Charter membership.
As her Yulelog username suggested, Elaine was the proud owner of Corvette cars. However, her connection was more than that of just an owner.
Elaine was well-known and loved in the Corvette car community. Not only did she own them, but she was also an accomplished racer of them—holding track records in her youth. She was the first woman President of the Corvette Cleveland Club in 1980, was a Hall of Famer and a member of the National Corvette Museum.
Elaine helped found and partipcated in an event called “Corvettes at Corsa” which raised money for a charity in her community. After each year’s event concluded, Corvette owners would come to her home and park their cars in her front lawn for an annual photo.
Near the end of her life when a friend took her out for a spin in his Corvette, he asked her if 100 mph was fast enough. With the true spirit of a racer she replied, “Can it go faster?”
Click here to view a video tribute to Corvette Queen Elaine Obert.
Elaine also loved Christmas decorating, and on occasion those two passions came together. Thanks to ornaments by Enesco, Hallmark, other collectible companies and even homemade crafters, she was able to have a Corvette-themed Christmas tree each year. Of course, as a Hallmark collector, she collected much more than just Corvette ornaments. Through the years she shared photos of her displays of her North Pole Tree Trimmers, Crayola, Cookie Cutter Christmas and Ken Crow’s high-magic masterpieces, just to name a few.
In 2009, at the Memories for the Making convention in Kansas City, Elaine’s photo of her Nostalgic Houses & Shops display was chosen as one of the 15 winners in the Decorating Contest.
One other consistent theme one will hear about Elaine was her cookies. While she self-admitted to not being a cook, she loved baking cookies. She received a lot of praise for making the “best ones ever.”
Elaine had suffered from pulmonary hypertension issues for several years. However, on November 2, 2020, doctors found cancer. She passed five days later on November 7th.
She is survived by her husband, Warren, her son Tim, and many loving family members. She is fondly remembered by both the Hallmark and the Corvette communities.
Her niece, Janice, who reached out to let us know of her passing, concluded with the following memory that illustrated her Aunt’s grand sense of humor, “In true Aunt Elaine fashion she had to have the last word. She wrote her own obit & threatened to haunt us if we didn’t publish it as is.”
To read of Elaine Obert’s passing brought a tear to my eye. She was one of those amazing people with boundless energy, always in good spirits, willing to share her love of ‘Vettes and Hallmark. Elaine was a good decorator, too! I remember her wonderful Corvette trees–very pretty and unique, just like her. I hope her trip to Paradise was faster than 100 mph. <3
Elaine was a close friend of mine. She was one of Hallmarks best collectors and very helpful with her decorating hints, pictures, etc. Always a smile on her face and lots of fun to be around, we had some good times together over the years. It was a sad day when we heard of her cancer diagnosis. Her obit just fit her to a tee and I can just see her writing it down and having a good chuckle. I miss you Elaine and hope to see you again up there in heaven. I’m sure she has big plans for decorating up there. Hugs for you Elaine, miss you======The other Elaine (Wibben)
I am sad to read this news, but thank you for sharing it. I had the good fortune of meeting Elaine at several KOC events over the years and she was such fun. In 2016 she posted to Yulelogger board that if you let her know of any ornament you were searching for, “an angel might make your wish come true” . I had been searching for years for the Donna Lee Starry Eyed enterprise “Hung up with the Stsrs”. Sure enough, my wish was granted! I have always remembered her kindness when hanging the ornament up each year. I shall cherish it even more. She certainly embraced life!