James S. Corkey (1954)

CORKEY, KNERR, BLISS

Posted By: Treva Patterson (email)
Date: 1/23/2007 at 15:59:15

Winterset Madisonian-Winterset, Iowa
February 13, 1954

REV. J. S. CORKEY DIES IN MICHIGAN

Former Presbyterian Pastor in Winterset Was 83 Years of Age

The Rev. James S. Corkey, former pastor of the First Presbyterian church in Winterset, died last Wednesday evening, February 10, in Kalamazoo, Michigan, following an illness of several months, at the age of 83 years. The Rev. Mr. Corkey was a member of a family of Presbyterian ministers and served the Winterset church from 1907 to 1920.

He was born March 4, 1870 at Glendermott Manse, Londonderry, Ireland, the son of the Rev. and Mrs. Joseph Corkey. He was one of eight brothers, all of whom became ordained ministers and three sisters, all of whom engaged in missionary work.

He came to the United States when he was 16 years of age and visited an uncle in Kalamazoo. He attended McGee college in Belfast and Columbia University. He received his degree of Bachelor of Divinity in 1896 from the Union Seminary and later received his B.A. degree and a D.D. degree from Lennox college, Iowa.

He was married to Nelie May Knerr of Kalamazoo in 1896 and they were the parents of four children: Helen, Berniece, Ruth and James.

The Rev. Mr. Corkey and his family came to Winterset in 1907. He was active in community affairs while serving here and during World War I was a secretary for the YMCA and was a member of the first group to be sent to France. He was a member of Knights Templar, a life member of the Kiwanis Club and was long active in Boy Scout work. The Corkeys went from Winterset to Logansport, Indiana, in 1920 and he served as pastor there until in 1935 when he retired and the family moved to Kalamazoo.

He leaves in addition to his widow, the son, James Sloane Corkey Jr. of Logansport, two daughters, Miss Berniece Corkey, Temple, Texas, and Mrs. Eliott Bliss, Chappaqua, New York. The eldest daughter Helen died several years ago. He also leaves two brothers and a sister, who reside in Ireland, a sister in India, nine grandchildren and two great grandchiildren.

Funeral services were held last Saturday at the Truesdale Chapel in Kalamazoo and burial was in that city.