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planted in memory of Lewis Lamont Corcoran, Jr.
Obituary for Lewis Lamont Corcoran, Jr.
LEWIS LAMONT CORCORAN, JR., age 97, passed away on Easter Sunday, 9 April 2023. He was born on 13 May 1925, in Schenectady, New York. He was the son of Lewis L., and Eva P. (Hendricks) Corcoran. A few years after Lew Jr.’s birth, the family relocated to New York City, where young Lew started school. Shortly after the George Washington Bridge was opened in 1931, families began to move out of the city, into the New Jersey countryside. He grew up in a halcyon planned community, Radburn, which was located within the confines of Fairlawn, New Jersey.
Lew graduated from Ridgewood High School in 1943, but his plans to go to Bucknell University had to be put on hold. As the nation was at war, he was inducted into the Navy, serving in the 116th Naval Construction Battalion (Seabees). He was among the early wave of the American occupation forces to land in Japan, at Sasebo, Kyushu Island.
After his wartime service was completed, he resumed his plan to attend Bucknell University. In his Bucknell days, he majored in commerce and finance and became a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon. At Bucknell, he met his future wife Margaret Fatzinger. Margaret graduated in 1948, but because Lew had a late start due to his wartime service, he would not graduate until 1950. Peg and Lew married in Catasauqua, in 1948, and began their married life in Lewisburg, where Peg worked in the college laboratory, and Lew completed his degree.
After graduation, they settled in Catasauqua. Most of his working life was spent at Bethlehem Steel Corporate Headquarters, where he worked in the sheet steel sales department. Lew enjoyed playing golf, but was most often seen on the tennis courts, where he enjoyed camaraderie with an active group of tennis players. They organized tournaments, attended US Tennis Opens at Flushing Meadows, and just plain enjoyed volleying the ball, playing a friendly game. Lew belonged to two different men’s bridge clubs and played from his college days into his late 80s. For many years, Lew enjoyed membership in the Catasauqua Club, where he served on the Board of Governors in the 1970s and participated in the club’s bowling league.
During most of his life in Catasauqua, he was a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, where he served multiple terms on the church council, taught Sunday School, and was a member of the choir. After St. Paul’s closed in 2019, he joined Holy Trinity Lutheran Church. He was a classroom volunteer at Catasauqua’s Sheckler Elementary School and volunteered with Northampton County Meals on Wheels.
Lew enjoyed acting and singing in roles as, the Rabbi in “Fiddler on the Roof,” the Judge in “Hello Dolly,” and Sharkey the pirate, in “Peter Pan,” in the Catasauqua Area Showcase Theater (CAST) productions. He volunteered with the senior work crew, helping to create the elaborate stage settings for the annual productions. For several years, he sang in Macungie Minstrelaires annual shows.
During his retirement years, Lew and his wife frequently traveled and enjoyed the beauty of the Maine seacoast and rambles through the American west and Alaska, but also journeys to Europe, China, the Caribbean, and Bermuda.
Lew was predeceased by his wife, Margaret (Fatzinger) Corcoran, who died in 2020, after 71 years of marriage. He is survived by his son Douglas Corcoran, daughter Lynn Corcoran-Stamm, wife of Elwood Stamm, and daughter Catherine Corcoran, partner of Kevin Davis, and granddaughter Gretchen Stamm.
Contributions in his memory may be made to Holy Trinity Memorial Lutheran Church at 604 4th Street, Catasauqua, PA 18032 or the Public Library of Catasauqua 302 Bridge Street, Catasauqua 18032. Access to online condolences and updates can be found at www.brubakerfuneralhome.com.
Burial and memorial service will be Saturday, 15 Apr 2023, visitation at 10:00 – 11:00, service at 11:00, at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 604 4th Street, Catasauqua.
Brubaker Funeral Home, Inc. is entrusted with arrangements.
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Previous Events
Visitation
Saturday
15
Apr
10:00 AM
- 11:00 AM
Holy Trinity Memorial Lutheran Church
604 4th Street
Catasauqua, PA 18032
Funeral Service
Saturday
15
Apr
11:00 AM
- 11:30 AM
Holy Trinity Memorial Lutheran Church
604 4th Street
Catasauqua, PA 18032
Cemetery Details
Location
Fairview Cemetery
Lehigh Street
Whitehall, PA 18052
Memorial Contribution
Holy Trinity Memorial Lutheran Church
604 4th Street
Catasauqua, PA 18032
Catasauqua, PA 18032
Catasauqua Public Library
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