Nelson Charles Corcoran Jr.

Obituary of Nelson Charles Corcoran Jr.

Nelson Charles Corcoran Jr.

 

Nelson Charles Corcoran Jr. passed away peacefully at his home on

Hilton Head Island, South Carolina on November 17, 2019 at 8:00 AM at

the age of 98 years old.

 

He was born September 14, 1921 in Waterbury Connecticut, the son of Nelson Charles Corcoran and

Clara Augusta Palmer Corcoran residents of Oakville, Connecticut. Nelson

Charles Corcoran Sr was the mill manager of the Waterbury Rolling Mills.

 

Nelson’s children who survive him are Cheryl Corcoran Citron, Marcia Justine Corcoran, Nelson Robert Corcoran, Pamela Corcoran Reed and Timothy Sumner Corcoran.  Nelson has 10 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren.

Nelson obtained an aircraft pilots license in 1938 flying Piper Cubs and

Biplanes. He attended Watertown High School in Watertown, Connecticut

where he was elected the class president and graduated on June 12, 1940.

He was an actor for The Town Players in Watertown and played in

"Night Must Fall" and "You Can't Take It With You" in September, 1949.

He directed "Happy Days" at the Union Congregational Church in Oakville

in May 1949. He was known as Nellie.

 

Nelson entered the Army during World War II and passed the physical

for pilot training. His goal was to become a bomber pilot. However, he

contracted dengue fever in his barracks in Virginia and was severely

ill for weeks. This resulted in an honorable medical discharge from

the military.

 

He then entered the University of Connecticut and was a member of the

Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity. He was elected treasurer of the Alpha Gamma

Rho house and assistant treasurer of the fraternity in February, 1944.

His nickname was Corky. He sang in the University Glee Club and in the

University Congregational Church, which he enjoyed immensely. Dr.

McPeak was his favorite professor. He graduated from the University

of Connecticut in 1948 with a degree in business.

 

He went to work at the Waterbury Corrugated Container company in Waterbury

Connecticut.

 

On June 16, 1951 he married Doris Hazel Pully in the Newtown Congregational

Church in Newtown Connecticut. Doris later graduated from Yale University

and became a medical school professor. Nelson and Doris first lived in

Sandy Hook in a home built by her father next to Doris's father and mother.

 

In 1956 they built a house in Middlebury, Connecticut on Breakneck Hill

Road. Nelson and Doris attended the Middlebury Congregational Church and

raised five children.

 

Nelson became Vice President of the Waterbury Rolling Mills, the

same company where his father was the mill manager. As part of

this job he flew all over the United States and to foreign countries to

sell rolled copper, brass, phosphor bronze, and nickel silver. He later

worked for Bristol Brass Company.

 

Nelson and Doris resided in Middlebury until 1977 then moved to Reston,

Virginia then later Great Falls, Virginia.

 

Nelson was a radio amateur (W1GLM) and pursued his hobby of flying for

most of his life. He flew Cessnas, Beeches, and Pipers both single engine

and twin engine with his son Nelson as the copilot/navigator. They flew

to Vermont, New Hampshire, Virginia, Martha's Vineyard many times.

 

Nelson and Doris moved to Hilton Head Island, South Carolina in 2001 for

their retirement. They remained happily retired until Doris's death on

January 17, 2019.

 

The Island Funeral Home and Crematory.  Islandfuneralhome.com.

A Memorial Tree was planted for Nelson Charles
We are deeply sorry for your loss ~ the staff at The Island Funeral Home & Crematory
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