Eugenia K Corina

Eugenia Kilgoar Corina passed away at her home on Sunday, May 12, 2013 at the age of 89 and went to her heavenly reward. She was born and raised in Phil Campbell, Alabama and resided in Birmingham for the last 60 years. She graduated from Phillips High School in Bear Creek, Alabama where she was a cheerleader and played on the girls basketball team. After that she graduated from the University of Montevallo where she majored in science and home economics. She next attained a Master of Arts in Education from the University of Alabama in Birmingham. After a brief time as a home economist for the Birmingham Electric Company, she began a long and distinguished career as an educator. For over 15 years she taught and won the hearts of the students at Huffman Elementary School. From there she was transferred to Huffman High School where she taught Biology for many years. Next she was promoted to the Board of Education where she was in charge of the science departments for the Birmingham School System. During her 42 year tenure as a teacher, she received many, many awards. In 1973 she was honored as Alabama’s Outstanding Biology Teacher by the American Association of Biology Teachers. The same year she was chosen as the Outstanding Alumnus of Phillips High School in Bear Creek, AL. The year 1974 was a big year for Eugenia as she was first given the Environmental Conservation Education Award. She was then chosen as the Alabama Teacher of the Year and presented the award by Governor George Wallace. The next award she received that year was the Valley Forge Teachers Medal and she travelled to New York City to be given the award by Shirley Temple Black of the Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge. Her biggest reward came from knowing that she had been able to help, teach, and inspire so many young people to make something of their lives. Many of those students came to see her in the later years of her life to thank her for what she had meant to them.

Eugenia was preceded in death by her parents, Lunnie and Velma Kilgoar, her brother Victor Kilgoar, her brother-in-law, Otto Corina, her sister-in-law, Mary Corina, her brother-in-law Lamar Switzer, and her sister-in-law Celesta Switzer.

Eugenia is survived by her faithful, loving husband of 66 years, Errante (Ronny) Corina, her sons, Freddy Corina of Mobile, AL and Byron Corina (Teresa) of Wilsonville,Al and her daughter, Betty Perman (Eddie) of Attalla, AL., granddaughter Chelley Walker, great grandson, Robin Patterson, and great granddaughter, Annie Walker, nieces, Caroline Gerson (George) and Alicia Brooks, nephew, Barry Kilgoar (Deb) , great nephew George Gerson (Stephanie) and great nephew Norman Gerson (Marie)

Eugenia loved her family and was a devoted wife and mother. She loved to garden, was an accomplished woodcarver, loved to go camping with friends, and got great joy from bird watching. She was a devout Christian and attended the Huffman Methodist Church for over 60 years. She taught her children to love the Lord and to live by the Golden Rule. She taught them that family, love, honesty, integrity, and hard work were the essential ingredients for a good life. She will be greatly missed by her family and friends who were blessed by a walk through life with her.

The family would like to give special thanks to Julie Helms and Sue Williams for the compassionate and loving care that they gave to Mom.