Charles (Chuck) Corgan, 93, passed away peacefully at home on January 4, after complications with a pacemaker. Chuck was a natural optimist – he enjoyed life and his family, and his generous spirit will be missed. He was married to the love of his life Peggy Corgan, and was a wonderful and loving husband, father and grandfather. Chuck is survived by his wife Peggy, son Gary (Susan); daughter Lisa Moore; daughter Cele Monto (Martin); 5 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren.
Chuck was born on May Day, 1926 to parents Charles Corgan and Jane Mahoney Corgan in Portland, Oregon. Both parents were of Irish descent and Chuck was proud to celebrate his Irish Catholic heritage. Chuck attended Madeline Grade School and Grant High School. Always industrious, he held his first job at age 12 delivering newspapers on his bike. At Grant, he was the sports editor for the school newspaper and developed his lifelong love of sports.
Upon high school graduation Chuck enlisted in the US Army Air Corps during WW2. He was trained as an air force mechanic at Keesler Field, Mississippi, and was later transferred to the Portland Air Base, where he drove a military jeep down Broadway Avenue in a ticker tape parade to celebrate the end of the war. After the war, Chuck took advantage of the G.I. Bill, enrolled in the University of Oregon, and graduated with a business degree. He was a member of the Phi Gamma Delta (Fiji) fraternity, where he made lifelong friends. He continued those friendships with many activities at the MAC, and was an “Early Bird” tennis player, sang with the Balladeers, and was a MAC Polar Bear. Chuck and Peggy met at the MAC and they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary there.
Chuck began his career with the Remington Rand Corporation in sales. With that experience he founded his own company focused on office product sales entitled Corgan and Associates. As a sales representative he won many sales competitions, which took him on numerous trips to New York, Sweden, the Mexico City Olympics, and Brazil. These experiences ignited a lifelong interest in travel, and he and Peggy enjoyed vacations throughout Europe, with Paris and Italy as favorite destinations. His last international trip to England and Paris was in 2011, where he joined family and celebrated his wedding anniversary under the Eiffel Tower.
Upon retirement Chuck became involved in many volunteer activities, especially with the Catholic Church, Rosehaven, the Portland Art Museum and the Performing Arts Center. Chuck and Peggy would often be seen walking across downtown to their volunteer work shifts at the art museum and they loved the cultural opportunities in the city.
If you wish, donations in Chuck’s memory may be made to Rosehaven.
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