James "Jim" Corcoran

It is with heavy hearts, and yet still with smiles in celebration of his life, that we announce the death of James Frances (Jim) Corcoran on January 22, 2023 in his 93rd year. Jim left this world free from pain and surrounded by the love of his kids and his beloved Cleo. Jim leaves behind a magnificent legacy of a large family that includes his wife, Cleo, and his children Dianne, Brian (Zena), John, Helen (Nick), Patricia, Myra (Ward), and Rita (Pablo). He has 16 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren who adored him and will miss his fun, his singing, and his jokes. Jim was born in Willowdale during the depression and has great stories of growing up during those times. He went to De LaSalle high school in Toronto, and then took to the road out west to work on installing telegraph systems along the railway. He regaled those around him with wonderful stories of his early years and though they were not always easy times, he always found the humour and the silver lining from them. Many have enjoyed hearing him recite poetry (the Cremation of Sam McGee), recount his stories, and Jim could entertain a crowd with his grace and charm. He met and married Cleo in Montreal and they moved to Toronto, to the Beaches, where the seven children enjoyed a wonderful time growing up first on Wineva Ave and then on Balsam Ave. Jim was a community man and enjoyed contributing his talents to many local events. He enjoyed his time as a member of the Balmy Beach Club and in addition to being a paddler, Jim was a life-long advocate of active living and instilled that love of sport in his children. Jim’s devotion to his family was evident throughout his life and all his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren loved him - and all enjoyed renditions of the donkey song. Recent years were spent living with family and his final years with Patricia and John, who gave their constant and dedicated attention that kept Dad active and strong despite his cancer diagnosis. Our family cannot express enough our gratitude to everyone at ‘the commune’ for the care they gave Dad. Jim was also blessed to have the support of the team at the Dorothy Ley Hospice who offered an array of care that helped in his final days. Special thanks to Dr. Philippe Toupin, nurse Vlad and Dad’s sweet PSW, Sade. We encourage those who wish to donate in Dad’s name, to send your gifts to them at the following address: https://secure2.convio.net/dlhos/site/Donation2?idb=1736799425&1080.donation=form1&df_id=1080&mfc_pref=T Family will receive friends at the Giffen Mack Funeral Home at 2570 Danforth Ave., Toronto M4C 1L3, on Sunday January 29th from (12 – 5) with a remembrance service scheduled for 3pm. Please, if you’re not feeling well, join in via the livestream link that is provided here https://funeraweb.tv/diffusions/68098 Thank you to all for your kind words and memories of Jim. We will miss his smile, his stories, his unwavering support, and his joy for life. We take his lessons and carry on his legacy with deep love and in celebration of this great man.