Kenneth Allen Corley

Kenneth Allen Corley passed away on July 20, 2023 at the age of 74. By the grace of God and the precious blood of Jesus, Ken now rests in peace and joyful worship in the presence of God, reunited with those called into eternity before him, including his beloved wife, Sheila.

Ken was born on September 30, 1948 to Kenneth Albert Corley and Anna Rose Corley (née Yager, who passed away when Ken was very young). Ken was raised in Mooreland, Oklahoma, where he worked hard from a young age, picking cotton, baling hay, delivering ice blocks, laying irrigation pipe, and lifeguarding at the community pool. He graduated Mooreland High in 1966 and pitched for the Woodward Travelers. About a year later, he took a train to Phoenix to attend Grand Canyon College on a baseball scholarship, where Uncle Olan Corley and his family welcomed him. Ken was a First Team All-America pitcher in 1970 and would later pitch in the Chicago Cubs organization.

Ken thought his biggest win, however, was when he met Sheila J. Brady at Grand Canyon in 1969. Ken and Sheila were wed in 1971 and first lived in the parsonage of Central Baptist Church, where they served. Around this time, Ken made Christ the Lord of his life. Ken and Sheila raised Kenny, Kevin and Klent on West Acoma Drive and later lived on West Monte Cristo Avenue. Ken’s steadfast faith in Jesus permeated his home throughout his life. Over the years, Ken served several area churches, including First Chinese Baptist Church/Northwest Chinese Baptist Church and Northwest Baptist Church/The Church at Arrowhead, respectively.

Ken was a respected teacher and renowned coach in the Valley for decades, where he coached baseball, football, basketball and other sports with quiet tenacity and fierce competitiveness. He started his teaching and coaching career at Greenway High in the 1970s and later served as the head baseball coach at Cortez High during the 1980s, where he was recognized as division Coach of the Year in 1987-88. Ken subsequently returned to Greenway in the 1990s as an assistant to coach his sons and the neighborhood boys he had been coaching in youth baseball for years before. Greenway won a state championship in 1993. Ken later helped start the baseball program at Valley Vista High with Klent. Ken’s exemplary work-ethic, discipline and leadership had a profound and lasting impact on thousands of West Valley youth.

Ken truly enjoyed the outdoors. Whether night fishing under a desert sky full of stars, chasing quail through the Arizona backcountry, or catching trout in the high White Mountains, being in God’s creation brought him awe, peace and happiness. He could fry fish and grow vegetables better than anyone.

Ken was a selfless and sacrificial father and husband who modeled the love of Jesus to his family, to which he demonstrated a consistent and hard-working love for the entirety of his life.

Ken is survived by his three sons who love and respect him with their whole hearts: Kenneth Olan Corley (47), Kevin Adam Corley (44), and Klent Brady Corley (42). Ken is survived by eight grandchildren, to whom he was affectionately known as “Papa Ken.” Through Kenny and Candice Corley of Houston: Ashlyn Grace Corley (20), Lenna Maren Corley (17), Callen Wells Corley (14) and Camille Adeline Corley (11); through Kevin and Karen Corley: William Ellis Corley (11) and Braden James Corley (7); and through Klent and Melani Corley: Kenneth Michael Corley (14) and Kaleb Brady Corley (13), of Phoenix. Ken is further survived by siblings Jeannie Boone, Tom Corley, Patrick Corley and Pam Nelson.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.greenacresmortuary.net for the Corley family.