Col. Robert Joseph Corley, U.S. Army (Ret.), 90, of Pittsboro, NC, died on Friday, April 20, 2018 at his home surrounded by his family.
The youngest son of Homer Edward 'Buck' Corley and Annie Sue McCary Corley, he was born into a large family in Newberry, SC.
Earned a Bachelor's Degree from Newberry College, taught and coached football at the public school in Great Falls, SC, followed by a 30 year career in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He learned Greek for a liaison assignment with the Greek Army Engineers. He learned Vietnamese for his second of two tours in Vietnam, where he was the Province Senior Advisor in Binh Long Province. Earned his Master's Degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Military honors include the Purple Heart, Bronze Star, and Silver Star for heroism in An Loc. After a distinguished military career, he moved directly into civilian service as the Assistant Superintendent for Planning and Operations for District 7 Schools in Spartanburg, South Carolina. After retiring from the School District he formed a consulting firm, Corley Enterprises, and continued to advise school districts throughout South Carolina on school construction. After retiring for a third time, he served the Spartanburg Housing Authority as Chairman of its Board of Commissioners. In Spartanburg, he was a Deacon in the First Presbyterian Church and a Rotarian.
Survived by his wife of nearly sixty-six years, Eleanor (Kit) Lewis Corley; three children; Ann Corley Silverman (Allan) of Columbus, OH; Elisabeth Lewis Corley Megel (Joseph) of Pittsboro, NC; and Robert Joseph Corley, Jr. (Cindy) of Asheville, NC; four grandchildren, Elena Hatton Silverman, Alexander Martin Silverman (Brittany), Logan Elise Corley, and Steven Daniel Corley (Fiona Baker); two great grandchildren, Leon and Lillian Silverman; sister Ethel Mayer of Newberry, and numerous nieces and nephews.
He sincerely appreciated Carol Johnson who helped care for him at home in his final illness.
Near the end of his life a hospice nurse asked him if he had any orders. He brightened, and grinned, perhaps at the idea of giving orders. He struggled to find the words, but when they emerged they were clear: 'Do good.'
There was a private memorial service at Harland's Creek.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggested that memorial gifts be offered to UNC Hospice c/o Medical Foundation of NC, P.O. Box 1050, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, or StreetSigns Center for Literature and Performance, 204 Harland's Creek Drive, Pittsboro, NC 27312.
Published in Spartanburg Herald-Journal
Apr. 30 to May 1, 2018
The youngest son of Homer Edward 'Buck' Corley and Annie Sue McCary Corley, he was born into a large family in Newberry, SC.
Earned a Bachelor's Degree from Newberry College, taught and coached football at the public school in Great Falls, SC, followed by a 30 year career in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He learned Greek for a liaison assignment with the Greek Army Engineers. He learned Vietnamese for his second of two tours in Vietnam, where he was the Province Senior Advisor in Binh Long Province. Earned his Master's Degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Military honors include the Purple Heart, Bronze Star, and Silver Star for heroism in An Loc. After a distinguished military career, he moved directly into civilian service as the Assistant Superintendent for Planning and Operations for District 7 Schools in Spartanburg, South Carolina. After retiring from the School District he formed a consulting firm, Corley Enterprises, and continued to advise school districts throughout South Carolina on school construction. After retiring for a third time, he served the Spartanburg Housing Authority as Chairman of its Board of Commissioners. In Spartanburg, he was a Deacon in the First Presbyterian Church and a Rotarian.
Survived by his wife of nearly sixty-six years, Eleanor (Kit) Lewis Corley; three children; Ann Corley Silverman (Allan) of Columbus, OH; Elisabeth Lewis Corley Megel (Joseph) of Pittsboro, NC; and Robert Joseph Corley, Jr. (Cindy) of Asheville, NC; four grandchildren, Elena Hatton Silverman, Alexander Martin Silverman (Brittany), Logan Elise Corley, and Steven Daniel Corley (Fiona Baker); two great grandchildren, Leon and Lillian Silverman; sister Ethel Mayer of Newberry, and numerous nieces and nephews.
He sincerely appreciated Carol Johnson who helped care for him at home in his final illness.
Near the end of his life a hospice nurse asked him if he had any orders. He brightened, and grinned, perhaps at the idea of giving orders. He struggled to find the words, but when they emerged they were clear: 'Do good.'
There was a private memorial service at Harland's Creek.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggested that memorial gifts be offered to UNC Hospice c/o Medical Foundation of NC, P.O. Box 1050, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, or StreetSigns Center for Literature and Performance, 204 Harland's Creek Drive, Pittsboro, NC 27312.
Published in Spartanburg Herald-Journal
Apr. 30 to May 1, 2018
Col. Robert Joseph Corley, U.S. Army (Ret.), 90, of Pittsboro, NC, died on Friday, April 20, 2018 at his home surrounded by his family.
The youngest son of Homer Edward 'Buck' Corley and Annie Sue McCary Corley, he was born into a large family in Newberry, SC.
Earned a Bachelor's Degree from Newberry College, taught and coached football at the public school in Great Falls, SC, followed by a 30 year career in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He learned Greek for a liaison assignment with the Greek Army Engineers. He learned Vietnamese for his second of two tours in Vietnam, where he was the Province Senior Advisor in Binh Long Province. Earned his Master's Degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Military honors include the Purple Heart, Bronze Star, and Silver Star for heroism in An Loc. After a distinguished military career, he moved directly into civilian service as the Assistant Superintendent for Planning and Operations for District 7 Schools in Spartanburg, South Carolina. After retiring from the School District he formed a consulting firm, Corley Enterprises, and continued to advise school districts throughout South Carolina on school construction. After retiring for a third time, he served the Spartanburg Housing Authority as Chairman of its Board of Commissioners. In Spartanburg, he was a Deacon in the First Presbyterian Church and a Rotarian.
Survived by his wife of nearly sixty-six years, Eleanor (Kit) Lewis Corley; three children; Ann Corley Silverman (Allan) of Columbus, OH; Elisabeth Lewis Corley Megel (Joseph) of Pittsboro, NC; and Robert Joseph Corley, Jr. (Cindy) of Asheville, NC; four grandchildren, Elena Hatton Silverman, Alexander Martin Silverman (Brittany), Logan Elise Corley, and Steven Daniel Corley (Fiona Baker); two great grandchildren, Leon and Lillian Silverman; sister Ethel Mayer of Newberry, and numerous nieces and nephews.
He sincerely appreciated Carol Johnson who helped care for him at home in his final illness.
Near the end of his life a hospice nurse asked him if he had any orders. He brightened, and grinned, perhaps at the idea of giving orders. He struggled to find the words, but when they emerged they were clear: 'Do good.'
There was a private memorial service at Harland's Creek.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggested that memorial gifts be offered to UNC Hospice c/o Medical Foundation of NC, P.O. Box 1050, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, or StreetSigns Center for Literature and Performance, 204 Harland's Creek Drive, Pittsboro, NC 27312.
Published in Spartanburg Herald-Journal
Apr. 30 to May 1, 2018
The youngest son of Homer Edward 'Buck' Corley and Annie Sue McCary Corley, he was born into a large family in Newberry, SC.
Earned a Bachelor's Degree from Newberry College, taught and coached football at the public school in Great Falls, SC, followed by a 30 year career in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He learned Greek for a liaison assignment with the Greek Army Engineers. He learned Vietnamese for his second of two tours in Vietnam, where he was the Province Senior Advisor in Binh Long Province. Earned his Master's Degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Military honors include the Purple Heart, Bronze Star, and Silver Star for heroism in An Loc. After a distinguished military career, he moved directly into civilian service as the Assistant Superintendent for Planning and Operations for District 7 Schools in Spartanburg, South Carolina. After retiring from the School District he formed a consulting firm, Corley Enterprises, and continued to advise school districts throughout South Carolina on school construction. After retiring for a third time, he served the Spartanburg Housing Authority as Chairman of its Board of Commissioners. In Spartanburg, he was a Deacon in the First Presbyterian Church and a Rotarian.
Survived by his wife of nearly sixty-six years, Eleanor (Kit) Lewis Corley; three children; Ann Corley Silverman (Allan) of Columbus, OH; Elisabeth Lewis Corley Megel (Joseph) of Pittsboro, NC; and Robert Joseph Corley, Jr. (Cindy) of Asheville, NC; four grandchildren, Elena Hatton Silverman, Alexander Martin Silverman (Brittany), Logan Elise Corley, and Steven Daniel Corley (Fiona Baker); two great grandchildren, Leon and Lillian Silverman; sister Ethel Mayer of Newberry, and numerous nieces and nephews.
He sincerely appreciated Carol Johnson who helped care for him at home in his final illness.
Near the end of his life a hospice nurse asked him if he had any orders. He brightened, and grinned, perhaps at the idea of giving orders. He struggled to find the words, but when they emerged they were clear: 'Do good.'
There was a private memorial service at Harland's Creek.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggested that memorial gifts be offered to UNC Hospice c/o Medical Foundation of NC, P.O. Box 1050, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, or StreetSigns Center for Literature and Performance, 204 Harland's Creek Drive, Pittsboro, NC 27312.
Published in Spartanburg Herald-Journal
Apr. 30 to May 1, 2018
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