June 18, 1929 – April 5, 2018 James “Jim” Lauren Corwin, who was born June 18, 1929 to George and Juliet (Forden) Corwin at Portland, Oregon, died on April 5, 2018 in Albany, Oregon. Married in 1950 to Clara Brown with whom he had three children, Ronald, Steven, and Kimberly. Divorced in 1979, he would later marry Aline (Heineman) Varga in 1980, to whom he remained devoted in love and life until her passing in 2016.
Jim graduated from Heppner High School in 1947. During the Korean War he became a Staff Sargent in the US Air Force in which he served from 1948 to 1954. Jim’s last duty station was at Mather Field in Sacramento, California where he was a B25 Flight Mechanic.
He graduated in 1958 from Oregon State University with a Bachelor of Education. He would later earn an Education Master’s degree from Western Oregon University. He taught elementary and middle school in Bandon, Tigard, Salem, and North Bend.
He was the Principal at Scio Middle School for three years before entering the insurance business. He would later own and operate Corwin Insurance in Albany from 1977 to 1997 when he sold the business to Marie Sandman. In retirement Jim kept busy with his duties as an Elder and Deacon at United Presbyterian Church of Albany.
He was also a devoted Kiwanian where he sported a perfect attendance record for 41 years. Jim also volunteered with Habitat for Humanity. Jim was preceded in death by his wife of 36 years, Aline, to whom he remained devoted until her death in 2016.
Also preceding Jim in death were parents George and Juliet, and his first wife Clara, 2016. Jim is survived by sisters Joan Peck of Pendleton, Oregon, Claire Kordosky of Portland Oregon, and brother Stephen Corwin of Gilbert, Arizona. Also surviving Jim are sons Ron Corwin (Salem) and Steven Corwin (Waldport), and daughter Kim Caldwell (Waldport); as well as step children Julie Varga-Brown (Salem), Jeffrey Varga (Albany), Sandra Varga-Sako (Redondo Beach, California), and Rob Varga (Hood River); and by numerous grand and great grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at United Presbyterian Church of Albany at 11:00 o’clock the morning of Saturday, April 14th. A reception will follow at the church from 12:00 to 1:30, followed by internment with full military honors at Willamette Memorial Park Cemetery, Albany, Oregon, at 2:00 p.m. United Presbyterian Church, 330 5th Ave. SE, Albany OR 97321, will accept donations made in Jim’s name.
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