It is with deepest sadness yet utter joy in Christ Jesus that we share of the passing of John Robert “Bob” Corley, 90, of Ft. Worth. Isaiah 57:1-2 The righteous perish and no one takes it to heart; the devout are taken away and no one understands that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil. Those who walk uprightly enter into perfect peace; they find rest as they lie in death.Psalm 116:15 Blessed in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful servants
Bob was born to Mildred Weed Corley and John Ike Corley on January 3, 1930, in Ft. Worth. He passed away after a final brief illness on April 27, 2020. His tired body let go, but not to Covid!
Bob loved Ft. Worth, living there for all but 7 years of his life. He graduated from Poly High in 1947, attended college at North Texas University and, joined the Naval Reserves during the Korean War, serving as a Naval Corpsman for 3-1/2 years in the Ft. Worth area and in Olathe, Kansas.
God granted Bob two loves-of-his-life and 67 total years of marriage. He married Carol Wingfield in 1952 (the Sweetheart of Texas Wesleyan College). They had children, Dave and Tish, and were married 43 years until her death in 1995. He then married Shirley Ingle Brock in 1996 and finished 24 years of life with her by his side. Shirley brought new life to Bob’s after the tragedy of Carol’s illness and death. With each of his “loves” he traveled and camped, climbing countless trails and covering endless miles of National Parks and U.S. Highways. He and Shirley had happy years with fellow motor home owners and traveled throughout the U.S., eventually owning a place in Woodland Park, CO, where their summers were filled with cool, colorful Colorado.
Bob worked as a pharmaceutical salesman (self-described “pill pusher”) for Wyeth Labs, during which time he was a District Manager for Ft. Worth, West Texas, New Mexico and southern Colorado. He genuinely loved his work, the doctors and nurses he called on and the pharmacists whose shelves he filled with medications. On his kids’ birthdays he would take them with him to work, letting them see how he worked with doctors offices and pharmacies, and particularly modeling how to treat people with respect and grace. His garage in the early days was filled with massive samples of meds and baby formula that the pharmaceutical companies were allowed to give to doctors and nurses personally, as a form of PR. Each Rep had to know the company’s entire line of products inside-out to share with doctors. Bob left Wyeth for a 5-year period to work at A.G. Edwards as a stockbroker. He returned to Wyeth Labs but loved watching the stock market reports every day. He was a member of Tarrant Co. Pharmaceutical Sales Association and winner of the Wyeth National District Managers’ Golden Circle Sales Award in 1989. He retired in 1993.
His history in Ft. Worth included serving as Boy Scout leader for several years for Troop 83 of the Longhorn Council, which he did to be with Dave in his growing years. He shared scouting’s distinguished Order of the Arrow with Dave. Bob was a 33rd Degree Mason with the Polytechnic Masonic Lodge, a member of Moslah Temple Shrine & Bedouin Group, and a member of the Ft. Worth Scottish Rite, serving as president in 1978. He loved golf, racquetball, running 5 and 10 Ks and riding his bike along the Trinity River until he was 84. His biking group was “The Rusty Chain Gang”.
People gravitated to Bob naturally. He remembered their names, their families, and their difficult life trials. He was upbeat, positive and had high personal expectations for marriage, family and work. His work ethic was impeccable, his values godly, his love for people genuine, and his ready smile was contagious. He was a paced man, not rushing in decision or action, he was an obsessive detail person, a voracious reader, and had an insatiable curiosity which drove him to constant learning, about any and everything. He loved every genre of music except country western! Conversations with him were stimulating and inspiring, plus he was so interested in whoever he was talking with that they left feeling important and encouraged. He had a solid handshake even to the end, firm and sincere as he looked the person directly in the eye. Bob’s interest in others showed deep grace within as he was one who always gave people the benefit of a doubt when there was conflict. He believed in others’ potential and stood with them in that belief.
Bob had the benefit of being raised in a strong family of Christian faith, as well as having a mother-in-law who modeled the love and life of Jesus. He and Carol were long-time active servants at Handley Methodist Church, attending a couples Sunday school class and later teaching college-age kiddos. He and Shirley joined First Methodist Church of Ft Worth, attending the Wesley Sunday School class. Bob also taught Discipleship Bible classes where his love for God’s Word grew along with his relationship to Christ. A 1995 trip to Israel was a lifetime highlight. He knew without a doubt of God’s love, sovereignty and utter control of all life. He spoke confidently yet humbly of his faith from his own experience. “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” Bob had high times and he had very low times in life, but his faith remained steadfast. He was bolstered by the heroes of the faith listed in Hebrews 11-12, that “great cloud of witnesses” who persevered throughout life by faith in God and His promise of eternal life through Christ Jesus. Now Bob is among those same heroes, newly graduated hero of the faith in his own right, encouraging his family to persevere in faith in our own races and never give up on God., for He never gives up on us.
Bob is survived by his wife Shirley, son David Corley and wife Renee, daughter Tish and husband Steve Deffenbaugh, step-son Robert Brock,and grandchildren Dave Deffenbaugh, Marcie Deffenbaugh, Walker Corley and Erika Corley. His beloved great-grandchildren are Allison and Alex Deffenbaugh. He is also survived by cousin Kathy Vittetoe and husband Jim,, brother-in-law and sister-in-law Art and Roma Heath, and sister-in-law Linda Wingfield Poelma. “Uncle Bob” was a favorite to his nieces and nephews.
The family expresses our deepest gratitude for caregivers Sherran Smith and Emma Baldovinos, who adored Mr. Bob and lovingly cared for him like a father. We also thank each caregiver provided by Professional Caregivers over the years. We are so very grateful for Dad’s amazing physician and friend, Dr. Craig Dearden, as well as Dr. Danny Thomas, Dr. Mark Wiley, Dr. Drew Pumphrey and Dr. Dave Corley (not Bob’s son) who all preserved his life over the years.
Bob’s full obituary will be online at Legacy.com. Inurnment will be private for the family at FUMC Ft. Worth. Memorial service plans will be communicated at a later date.
In lieu of flowers the family requests memorials be presented to the following or to your preferred charity:Texas Wesleyan University (where Carol was a librarian) to the Carol W. Corley Library Employee Fund or to the Bob and Shirley Corley Textbook Loan Fund, both at 1201 Wesleyan St.,Ft. Worth, TX 76105; Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, 2222 Welborn St., Dallas, TX 75219; Community Hospice House, 301 Medpark Circle, Burleson, TX 76028
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