Mary L. Corcoran

Mary Leoba Patzner Corcoran died at Lake Winona Manor on August 26, 2009 at the age of 83. Mary grew up with 11 siblings in Buffalo Ridge, WI farm country, overlooking Fountain City. She attended St. Mary's Catholic School, and, as library assistant, read every single book on the shelves. She loved her natural surroundings and taught her children how to see in the woods. When the petite and pretty Mary was 20, she met the love of her life, the brash, handsome and hardworking Gerald Paul Corcoran. She married the man who made her laugh in 1948 and, together, they built a rich life of love, humor, mutual appreciation, and hard work; complete with 8 children. Their early years were on farms near Lewiston, MN, then to city life in Hokah, MN, returning again to Lewiston to farm. They retired to Winona in 1987 with Sugar Loaf out the kitchen window. During these years, Mary worked in the St. Peter's Catholic School Cafeteria in Hokah and for Camera Art/Herff Jones. Her income was set aside for travel, fortunately, since she and Jerry drove to all 48 contiguous states (most in the same car), and made religious pilgrimages to Yugoslavia, Portugal and Argentina. They particularly enjoyed leisure travel to Alaska, Jamaica, Hawaii, Canada, Nova Scotia and the Panama Canal. An early adventurer, her first flight at 19 was in a canvas plane over the family farm.Mary was a devout lifelong Catholic and active and engaging participant in parish activities everywhere. She was a quietly accomplished baker, quilter, seamstress, gardener, mediator, card player (shark), and great friend to many. She possessed an easy laugh, sly sense of humor, extraordinary strength, and a kind and open heart. She was beloved by all who knew her and we were blessed to have her with us.Special thanks to the kind and caring staff at Lake Winona Manor where she and Jerry made their home for the last several years and to Winona Area Hospice for their end of life care.Mary was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 60 years, Gerald Paul Corcoran. She is survived by children and grandchildren: Patricia Halverson, Francine Corcoran, Gregory Corcoran (Roberta-and children Hannah, Louis and Caleb), Bernard Corcoran (Debbie-and children Diana [Gervais] Villareal, Ajalon and Renee), Theresa Corcoran, Christopher Corcoran (Linda - and Chris's children Megan and Chelsea), Mary Jane Scherbring (Jeffrey-and children, Jessica, Collin and Sarah Scherbring and Katie Corcoran), and Lisa Corcoran (Paul Robertson). She was preceded in death by her parents, Ida Wolfe Patzner and Carl Patzner, Sr., and her siblings, Dorothy (Casmir) Newmann, Grace (Terrance) Corcoran, Rosella/Sally (Stanley) Glodowski, Leo (Sally) Patzner, Phyllis (Joseph) Glodowski and infant siblings. She is survived by siblings Sister Rita Patzner, OSF, Josephine (Emil) Grulkowski, Carl (Marie) Patzner, Jr., Donald (Joan) Patzner, and Patricia Patzner.A Funeral Mass will be held at St. Stanislaus Kostka Catholic Church on Friday, August 28th, at 11:00 am with the Reverend Thomas Hargesheimer officiating. Friends may call one hour prior to the service at the church on Friday. Mary will be buried alongside Jerry in the St. Rose of Lima cemetery in Lewiston, where, for Jerry's bartered work, her gravestone waits.Please share a memory of Mary with the family, sign her online guestbook or view her video tribute when it becomes available online at: www.hofffuneral.com
Tribute video can be found at: videos.lifetributes.com/86363