Rebecca Ann Corcoran

Rebecca "Becky" Corcoran, 82, of Beaverton, Oregon, died peacefully on October 14, 2026. Born on November 21, 1943, in Portland, Oregon, Becky spent her early years in Portland with her grandparents and mother, while her father was deployed overseas. After the war, the family returned to Minnesota where Becky attended school, and enjoyed a detour to Italy while her Dad served as athletic director at a NATO school in Naples for two years. Those experiences sparked the curiosity, adaptability, and love of culture that stayed with her all her life.

In 1964 Becky met her “one and done” Glenn Corcoran at the University of Minnesota, and they were married by 1966. Becky and Glenn were married for 56 years until Glenn’s passing in April 2022. During their adventure they had three children and made homes in homes in South Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, Washington, and Oregon, Becky bringing her warmth to each one. Theirs was a partnership built on devotion, humor, and adventure, and in their later years they delighted in traveling and cruising the world together.

Becky's life's work can be summed up in one word: teacher. She taught elementary school children, supported students with special needs, and taught incarcerated men at a correctional facility, a role that reflected her belief in dignity, second chances, and the power of education. Later she trained new sales representatives in the employee benefits field at The Standard, a job she often called the most rewarding and certainly the most fun. She then shared her skills with the planned giving and fundraising teams at Oregon Public Broadcasting, Albertina Kerr, and Reed College before retiring.

In retirement, Becky embraced what she loved most: reading, traveling with Glenn, and becoming an accomplished quilter. Her quilts were works of patience and care, much like the way she lived her life.

Becky is survived by her children, Heather Ruden, Mark Corcoran (Jessica), and Kevin Corcoran (Kristin); her four grandchildren, Abby, Allie, Guy, and Charles; and her siblings, Steve Byhre of Beaufort, North Carolina and Jan King of Portland, Maine. She leaves behind a family who will carry her strength, her determination, and her kindness with them always.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Edward and Anna Byhre; her brother, Ed Byhre; and her devoted husband, Glenn.

Becky's final wishes were simple and rooted in generosity. She asked for a small, private, family-only service, and that for anyone who wishes to honor her memory, she hoped they would do two things: 1) Donate to the Oregon Food Bank, or to the food bank nearest you, and 2) "Pay it Forward" by enriching someone else's life with your time, care, or kindness, helping make your community a better place.

Becky lived that way, and it is fitting that her legacy continues in the same spirit.

"Be Brave, Be Strong." – Becky Corcoran