Vincent Paul Corso, Jr.

It is with great sadness that we announce the tragic passing of Vincent (Vince) Paul Corso, Junior, a man full of life and love, on October 15, 2023. Vince was born in Miami on Christmas Day, 1944, to Catherine and Dr. Vincent Corso. From his earliest days, he was fascinated with flying and would ride his bicycle to the airport to wash planes in exchange for a ride in the sky.

He began flying at 15, but could not take lessons legally until he was 16 with a driver’s license. Vince graduated from Palmetto High School, then went on to attend University of Miami for one year. He then transferred and graduated from the University of Oklahoma in Aviation Studies. He began his professional career flying air freight in the Caribbean and then with Eastern Airlines. After being furloughed with Eastern Airlines, he decided a new adventure was in order and spent a year traveling through Europe living in a VW van. But flying was in his soul, and when his year was over, he returned to the United States and started working for Louisiana Public Health/Family Planning as a Pilot where he met his future wife, Lydia, whom he soon married. Vince became chief pilot for McDermott International and later moved his family to Dubai while working for them. Deciding he enjoyed corporate flying, he began flying celebrities, coaches, doctors, Generals, politicians, and people from all walks of life until his “retirement” in 2019. His next calling was procuring and delivering organs from all over the United States for Louisiana Organ Procurement Association, which he did until Oct 14th, flying in his pink shirt for breast cancer awareness.

Vince was a true Renaissance man. His remarkable journey through life was a testament to his passion for aviation, travel, flight instructing, sailing, motorcycle riding, live music and all things thrilling. But he was also a true family man. He cherished his supportive wife, Lydia Haslam Corso whom he married in 1975. Together they raised two outstanding children who shared their father’s adventures, Vincent Paul Corso III, MD (Meg Couvillon) and Cristin Corso Barr (Michael Bloss). He was an adoring “Poppy” to Lillian Jane Barr.

He is also survived by his sister, Catherine Corso Nordlund (Jim Nordlund) and brother, Robert Corso (Ivette Corso), as well as numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, Gold Wing Club and aviation friends.

Vince really never knew what it meant to retire. As he got older, he moved from one adventure to the next with passion and skill, even recently fulfilling a lifelong dream of flying seaplanes in Alaska. He impacted the lives of so many who enjoyed his zest for life, his positive outlook, and his natural charisma. His great enthusiasm for exploring and experiences will continue to inspire those who had the privilege of knowing him.

A Celebration of Life will be held from 11:00-1:00 at Flightline First, New Orleans Lakefront Airport, on November 11, 2023.

To honor his memory, donations can be made either to “Fly Pink, “an organization that flies breast cancer patients to treatments at no cost www.fly-pink.org or "LOPA,” Louisiana Organ Procurement Association (https://www.lopa.org).

To view and sign the online guest book, please visit www.lakelawnmetairie.com