Maurice Graves Corbett

Maurice Graves Corbett, died April 24, 2025, suddenly but peacefully at home. He is survived by his wife of almost 62 years, Enid (née Goudge); three children Keith (Katherine), Andrea (Dave) and Cheryl (Matt); six grandchildren - Jonathan (Emma), James, Robyn, Madelyn, Meghan and Connor; two great-grandchildren, Adelaide and Sullivan; two surviving sisters-in-law and a plethora of nieces and nephews.

Born October 20, 1938 as the youngest of eight children to Victor and Jeannie (née Robb) Corbett in Nelson, British Columbia, family legend has it he arrived under a lilac bush in the front yard because his mother didn’t make it to the taxi in time.

Moe grew up in Nelson, BC, participating in boy scouts, junior army cadets and typical childhood hijinks. In high school, he was president of the student council in his senior year. He was always grateful to his older brothers and sister who looked after him after his mother died when he was 12 years old. He put himself through university by joining the Canadian Army – first attending Royal Roads in Victoria, BC and then the Royal Military College in Kingston, ON (Diploma of Graduation). He completed his final year of a chemical engineering degree at Queen’s University (BSc’61) in Kingston. In 1996, RMC awarded a Bachelor of Science retroactively.

Kingston was also where he met and fell in love with Enid, who was studying at Queen’s. They got engaged when Moe graduated, just before the army shipped him to Germany. Moe and Enid married in May 1963, and Enid joined Moe in Germany for the rest of the year. They returned to Canada for a brief stay in Winnipeg, before Moe’s time in the army finished. In the fall of 1964, they returned to Kingston, where Moe started an MBA at Queen’s University.

Upon his graduation in May 1966, they moved to Montreal, bought a house, and started their family, having Keith in 1966, followed by Andrea in 1968. Moe had a stint working in business using his engineering degree, until his fascination with investments took over and he switched industries. After two short positions in Montreal, Moe found a new job in Toronto in 1970. They moved into their current house in Thornhill that summer and expanded the family with Cheryl’s arrival in 1972.

Moe worked as an investment manager for Swiss Reinsurance for 26 years, specializing in Canadian equities. He then spent 6-1/2 years at Bloom Investment Council before retiring in 2004.

Both Enid and Moe have been highly involved at Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Thornhill for almost 55 years. Moe served as a lay reader, which included leading services at local hospitals and seniors’ homes, and later, lay eucharistic minister. He was involved with multiple outreach projects like Out-of-the-Cold, Christmas Family Assistance and Holy Trinity Housing. He even was Sunday School superintendent for a short stretch in the 1970s. Most Holy Trinity folks will remember how he loved to express his inner-ham, acting in plays put on by the Footlights Club for almost 40 years.

Moe and Enid were able to indulge their love of travel once they were empty-nesters. They often took one or two international trips a year, visiting countries on all seven continents (they walked on Antarctica!). Maintaining contact with extended family and friends was also important – they would visit both the eastern and western branches of the family and friends regularly, as well as traveling to see children and grandchildren in the United States at least twice a year, when folks were living there. There are many fond memories of times spent at rented cottages on the beaches of southeastern Georgian Bay, with a regular rotation of immediate and extended family and friends sharing time at the

beach together. He will be remembered for cutting no slack to his children or grandchildren when playing board games or card games at the cottage.

In his downtime, Moe enjoyed reading and watching movies – especially mysteries, comedies and war history. He had an extensive collection of military history books, some of which were donated to the War Museum Archives in Ottawa. He also loved listening to music, especially classical and jazz.

The family will receive visitors from 2:30-5:30pm on Sunday, May 4, 2025 at Kane-Jarrett Funeral Home, 8088 Yonge St, Thornhill.

A funeral service will be held at Holy Trinity Anglican Church, 140 Brooke St, Thornhill, at 11am on Monday, May 5, 2025, with a reception in the parish hall following. Moe wanted a joyous celebration of his life and requested that no black clothing be worn.

To watch the service live-streamed, please go the church’s website, click on the “Worship” tab, and follow instructions on viewing services: https://www.holytrinity-thornhill.ca/worship/

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Holy Trinity Anglican Church; the Maurice G Corbett Entrance Bursary in Applied Science at Queen’s University, Kingston or the Royal Military College of Canada Alumni Association (Class of 1960).