WILMINGTON — Kermit “Kit” Clarkson Corcoran, 79, passed away peacefully Monday, October 2, 2023, in Wilmington, NC, after a long and valiant journey with multiple myeloma.
Kit is survived by his loving wife of 57 years, Mary Sowers Corcoran, of the home. He is also survived by his daughters – Suzanne Reid (Donald) of Wilmington, NC, and Kimberly Moore (Kent) of Roswell, GA; his grandchildren – Second Lieutenant Meredith Moore Horton (Grayson), United States Army, of Fort Cavazos, TX, Suzanne Moore of Roswell, GA, and Donald Reid IV, of Wilmington, NC; and his brother – Colin David Corcoran of Covington, LA. He was predeceased by his parents, Richard Clarkson and Yvonne George Corcoran, and his brother, Clifford Kelly Corcoran.
Born on February 11, 1944 in Houston, TX, Kit graduated from Annandale High School, Annandale, VA, in 1962. He attended Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, on a NROTC scholarship, graduated and commissioned in the United States Marine Corps in 1966. After graduating from Navy Flight Schools in Pensacola, FL, Meridian, MS, and Kingsville, TX, he was designated a Naval Aviator in 1968. He served as an A-6 Intruder pilot in the Vietnam War and had the distinction of being the last Marine to board the final helicopter out of the Saigon Airport at the conclusion of the war. Throughout his career, he flew a variety of aircraft including the F-4, A-4, TC-4C, T-39, CH-53, CH-46, VH-1, and Harriers. He also conducted crash investigations as part of the Naval Safety Center, Norfolk, VA.
Kit retired from the USMC after twenty-one years of service as a Lieutenant Colonel and started a new career as a general contractor. He taught “Introduction to Residential General Contracting” for many years at Craven, Cape Fear and Coastal Carolina Community Colleges and privately in Greenville, NC, and Wilmington, NC. He trained over 1500 students to sit for the North Carolina General Contractors examination.
He returned to college to pursue a Civil Engineering degree and graduated from North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, in 2004. In this new career, Kit performed structural investigations for Forensic Engineering Incorporated and was a construction observer for WK Dickson and Company, Inc. After becoming a licensed Professional Engineer (PE) in 2007, he became an independent investigative consultant.
Kit was a kind, devoted person who loved his family immensely. He always had a story to tell, with family and countless friends ready to listen, even if it was for the second, or third, time! His love of country was unparalleled – he always wore an American flag on his lapel.
A celebration of life will be held on November 11, 2023, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Covil Farm Clubhouse, 700 Covil Farm Road in Wilmington. Since Kit loved all things Hawaiian – the food, the surf, and the laid back vibe – please dress casually as his celebration will be a relaxed time to tell stories and laugh!
A graveside service with full military honors will be held at Barrancas National Cemetery, NAS Pensacola, FL, at a later date.
