Jane and William Corcoran

Jane Woodcock Corcoran June 17, 1922 – May 21, 2020 William Joseph Corcoran March 13, 1921 - June 10, 2020 Jane Corcoran went home to be with Jesus on May 21, 2020, at the age of 97. Her husband, Bill Corcoran, joined her on June 10, 2020. He was 99. Emma Jane Woodcock was born on June 17, 1922, in Corvallis, Oregon to Milton Edwin and Mary (Baird) Woodcock. She was a fourth generation Oregonian. Her great grandparents, Martin and Amanda (White) Woodcock, and their 4 year old son, Milton Sherman Woodcock, Jane’s grandfather, traveled the Oregon Trail in 1853 to settle in the Willamette Valley. A native New Yorker, William Joseph Corcoran, was born to John L. and Augusta (Schultz) Corcoran in Richmond Hill, Queens, on March 13, 1921. Raised in Corvallis, Jane attended Corvallis High School and Oregon State College where she was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta. During her junior year she transferred to Stanford University and graduated with an A.B. in Social Sciences, class of 1944. Bill was a 1941 graduate of Manhattan College with a B.S. in Physical Education. From May 1942 to February 1946, Bill served as a Chief Petty Officer, Chief Specialist (A) in the U.S. Navy with responsibility for training new recruits and providing physical rehabilitation activities. In January 1945, he headed west to take up his post at the Naval Hospital at Camp Adair outside of Corvallis. Shortly after arriving, Bill met Jane at the USO where she was working at the snack bar. They were married six months later on August 23, 1945. It was a love story that would last 75 years. Settling in Corvallis, Bill (then known as Corky) was employed for fifteen years in the service and sales departments at M.E. Woodcock and Sons, the local Buick-Cadillac dealership. Knowing he wanted to be a school teacher, Bill enrolled at OSU and earned his B.S. in Elementary Education in 1962 and his Masters in 1965. He taught in the Corvallis School District from 1962-1983 at Harding Elementary (where Jane attended grade school) and Highland View Middle School. Jane was a homemaker for many years and focused on raising their four children with Bill. She was later employed at Cooperative Managers Association and Wallace Wholesale Foods. Jane volunteered with Meals on Wheels and later became the site manager of the Elderly Nutrition Program at the Senior Center. Bill and Jane shared a love of sports. Bill was an avid roadrunner, keeping a log of the miles he ran daily and completing three marathons in his lifetime. He worked as a statistician for OSU football as well as a track official for the Beavers. That led to opportunities officiating track meets at Corvallis High School, the NCAA’s, the Portland Indoor, and twice at the Olympic Trials in Eugene. Strong supporters of Beaver Nation, Bill and Jane enjoyed basketball and gymnastics at Gill Coliseum. Bill was a great fan of Paul Valenti, and they always tuned in to hear Mike Parker call the Beaver baseball games. Retirement allowed Bill and Jane to spend even more time together with those they loved most: their children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. They cherished making family memories together over the years which involved holiday and birthday gatherings, trips to the beach or Central Oregon, and traveling to cheer on their grandchildren at football, basketball, and baseball games or track meets. Bill was the first one to greet you with a big hug. He made you feel like you were the most important person in the room and always made you feel special. He could make you laugh, and bring a smile to your face because you knew he had a soft spot in his heart for you. Bill loved to sing and would serenade Jane or belt out a tune for others to enjoy. Jane was the detail person, wanting to know what was going on in everyone’s lives, asking questions, remembering everything, and checking in to see how things were going. She cared deeply for each individual in her family, encouraging and supporting them always. She lived life with a positive outlook and a sense of humor. Jane was a lifelong reader, and for years her daily routine would start with reading her Bible and end by perusing the Corvallis G-T. Family meant everything to the Corcorans, as did their faith in Jesus Christ. Their lives reflected the love of Christ and they wanted others to know Jesus too. Jane and Bill were members of Lifespring Foursquare Church and the Gideon’s International, serving in various capacities to share the Good News of the gospel. Jane was an avid supporter of the Benton County Historical Society and the new Corvallis Museum. In 2017, she turned the first shovel of dirt at the ground breaking. For 20 years, Jane constantly wondered if she would live long enough to see it completed. On October 20, 2019, she stepped inside. Jane was proud of her family roots and the Woodcock legacy in the Corvallis community. Bill left his mark in Corvallis as a school teacher and coach, touching the lives of young people, inspiring them in the classroom, as well as on the field. He always enjoyed letters and visits from his former students and would happily greet them in a store or at a ballgame. In 2017, as the oldest living teacher, he was honored by the Corvallis School District for his contribution to public education. They are survived by their daughters, Susan Hayes, Joan Corcoran, and Janet Wright (Will) and a son, Bob Corcoran (Colleen); five grandchildren, Casey Corcoran, Chris Corcoran (Mallory), Todd Wright (Megan Sacia), Kerry Wright, and Scott Wright; three great-grandchildren, Audrey, Charles, and Scarlett Corcoran. Jane is survived by her sister, Cynthia Lyon, and was predeceased by her parents and three brothers, Bill, Baird, and Ed. Bill was predeceased by his parents and four sisters, Catherine, Margaret, Elizabeth, and Muriel. Bill and Jane loved and admired their son-in-law, Jonathan Hayes, and their granddaughter-in-law, Kaycee Anseth, who preceeded them in death this year. The family wishes to thank the staff and caregivers at Stoneybrook Assisted Living and the team at Samaritan Evergreen Hospice for the care and devotion to our parents in their final months. A celebration of life for Bill and Jane will be announced at a later date. Gifts in their memory can be made to The Gideon’s International Faith Fund at www.gideons.org or Love, Inc. of Benton County at www.yourloveinc.org. Updates about the celebration will be posted at www.demossdurdan.com where you are welcome to sign the online guestbook. We were blessed to have such loving parents for so many years. We will miss them dearly and find comfort in one of Bill’s favorite quotes from Billy Graham: “When you read of my death in the newspaper, don’t believe it. I’ll be more alive than ever.”