William "Corky" L Corcoran

William Lawrence Corcoran Jr., known as Corky, was born in Boston, Massachusetts on April 23, 1924 to parents William L. Corcoran and Catherine T. Mahoney. His father died when he was 4 years old and he was then raised by his mother and maternal grandparents as an only child.

He graduated from high school in 1942 during World War II, enlisted in the Navy, and was deployed to China in the Pacific Theater. He decided to make a career of military service and served through two more wars in Korea and Vietnam.

In 1950 at the age of 26, Corky’s ship, the U.S.S. Mansfield, hit a mine during the Korean War. Despite being seriously wounded, he went into the damaged area filled with smoke and fumes and pulled four wounded men to safety before collapsing of his own wounds. For his heroism, Corky was awarded the Silver Star, the third highest award for combat valor in the U.S. military. He was also awarded the Purple Heart and several other medals, ribbons, and commendations for his exemplary service. He served more than 30 years in all rising to the highest Navy enlisted rank of Master Chief in 1966. His final tour of duty was in San Diego as Company Commander at the Naval Training Center where he was responsible for the training of new recruits. Corky retired from the Navy in 1973 and went to work for the U.S. Postal Service for 13 years as a letter carrier on a walking route, no doubt adding considerably to his excellent health and longevity.

He met Doris in Bremerton, WA where his ship, the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Constellation was stationed. They married in 1971. Doris loved him for his kindness, loyalty, and generosity. They loved traveling together and saw much of the world on multiple cruises. After six years of full retirement in San Diego, they moved to Sun City in Las Vegas, NV to enjoy the relaxed lifestyle and amenities the city has to offer.

Corky had a good sense of humor and a practical, no-nonsense view of life. He was wicked at cards and rarely lost. He was good with numbers and became a self taught investor, always thinking about the future. He encouraged his family to do likewise.

He had that common Irish stubbornness and feistiness and kept his distinctive Boston accent his whole life. Whatever he put his mind to, he did it and he didn’t look back. Perhaps his remarkable longevity can also be attributed to his kindness, lack of bitterness, and an unwillingness to dwell on the past.

He had no children of his own but he ‘adopted’ his wife’s family. He was a father figure to her children and grandchildren for over 50 years. As one who had experienced loss throughout his life, he often reminded his family to do the things you really want to do in life, as you never know how much time you have.

He spent the last 21 years of his life as a widower enjoying the Sun City lifestyle and serving his community until his health declined. He renewed his devotion to the faith of his youth and was generous to the Catholic Church and Catholic Charities to help the poor. He often said in his last year of life that he was “ready to go”. He was loved and he will be missed. He is survived by his ‘adopted’ family of two children, five grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren.