Branch Come Home Year

August 9-19, 2007

In Loving Memory of

Dave and Nora Corcoran

Submitted by: The Corcoran Family

 

 

 

 

 

Nora Nash, daughter of Mary (Barry) of St. Mary's  and Patrick Nash of Branch married David Corcoran, son of Agnes (Coffey) of Angels Cove and James Corcoran of Easter Cove, on February 17, 1946.  They settled in the Easter Cove during the early years of their marriage.  They built a lovely little bungalow on the site where Tom Power now resides.  Gordie, Elizabeth, Loretta, David, Maryann and Diana were born in the Easter Cove.

 

The Easter Cove was separated from Branch by a river.  A bridge connected both communities.  However, each winter and spring the bridge washed away.  Therefore, Mom and Dad relocated their family to Branch.  The house was towed across the river on a raft.  (Too bad there were no camcorders around.  What a picture that would have been).  The house was resettled by the “Gut” in Branch.  Theresa, Sharon, Bonnie, Gloria and Gerard were born there.  Many happy childhood memories were made by the “Gut”.

 

In 1966, with resettlement, they moved the family to the “Gulch” in St. Brides so Dad could be closer to the fishery.  He earned his living in the fishing industry till his retirement in 1990.

 

In 1974 tragedy struck their lives with the loss of Gordie aged 26 who fell off the cliffs at Broylie on Cape St. Mary’s.  Four years later in 1978 they lost Elizabeth aged 30, who was followed two months later by her son Jason, aged 2 years – both as the result of a tragic fire.  Tragedy hit again in 1988 when their grandson Davey, aged 15, was killed in a motor cycle accident.  In spite of these tragedies, Mom and Dad continued to take on life together and accepted whatever life gave them.

 

Dad was known for his great hunting skills.  Many a traveler engaged him to track the partridge and moose.  Young and old loved him.  They would spend hours visiting him, listening to his hunting and fishing stories.  He was also a great singer.  His children will always remember his rendition of “Kevin Barry”.

 

Mom always remained very close to her family. Many times she traveled to be at their side in their time of need.  They loved her dearly in return.  Mom taught us to sing.  She would line us, and some of the children who lived by the Gut, on the kitchen table and teach us such songs as “Lukey’s Boat”, “How much is that Doggy in the Window”, “Here I am Upon the Stage”, to name a few.  Actually it was Mom who taught some of us the old fashioned waltz.  She also loved to sing.  One of her favorites was “The Wedding Down to Joe’s”.

 

Back then there was no television.  Mom and Dad always managed to entertain us children.  Every evening after the “rosary” was story time.   Dad would make up a story and Mom would get dressed up in old clothes and  act out one of the characters in Dad’s story.  One of their favorite stories was about Mrs. O’Leary who supposedly took Letsy.  The younger kids really believed this since Letsy didn’t live with them, but with Grandma Nash..  Of course all of the stories always ended with “she walked on a piece of tin, the tin bended and the story ended”.

 

Mom and Dad lived life to the fullest.  Together they raised eleven children.  They eventually went on to know the joy and love of their grandchildren and great grandchildren.  Dad proved to be a devoted and loving husband, especially when Mom became sick with cancer.  He stayed by her side, ensuring she ate and drank all the right food.  He would faithfully feed her vitamins and herbs, hoping to keep her with him a little longer.  God separated then in 1993 when He took Mom “Home”.  How Dad missed her.  But God is kind and He saw fit not to separate then for too long, and so he took Dad less than a year after her death.

 

While our sorrow is twofold, we take solace in the fact that they are TOGETHER.  If their lives can be measured by their friends and family, they left a legacy of love and respect wherever they went.

 

“TO THE WORLD THEY WERE BUT ONE COUPLE, TO US THEY WERE OUR WORLD”

 

Lovingly remembered by their family- Loretta, David, Maryann, Diana, Sharon, Theresa, Gloria, Bonita, Gerard and their many grandchildren and great grandchildren