Mrs. Cora Etta Corbin, 87, of McKinney, Texas formerly of Merit, Texas passed away Sunday, September 25, 2011 in Homestead of McKinney.
She was born on February 11, 1924 in Decatur, Texas the daughter of Douglas and Mabel Taylor Fox, and graduated from Decatur High School. She had two sisters and three brothers. At age 12 in 1936, Cora Etta became a Christian and was baptized in Decatur Baptist Church. At the time of her death, she was a member of Merit Baptist Church in Merit, Texas. She consistently demonstrated her Christian character throughout her life. She lived the Golden Rule;always considering others first and living unselfishly. In 1942, she met the man who would become her love for 68 years of marriage, Ray W. Corbin, Sr. from Decatur. Their wedding day was June 5, 1943. Several years of their marriage was spent in Krum, Texas, where their children grew up. After living in Krum, they moved to Denton then retired several years later to Cedar Creek Lake where they enjoyed fishing, boating, and entertaining friends and family. To be nearer their children, who were by then adults, Cora Etta and Ray Sr., moved to Merit where they lived for 27 years until recently relocating to The Chateau, a senior adult community in McKinney. They had two children, Linda Corbin, who now resides in McKinney and Ray W. Corbin Jr., who lives in Melissa with his wife, Carolyn. Cora Etta will be remembered as a devoted wife, mother, and friend. She is cherished by her family and will forever remain in their hearts as a person of strength, courage, generosity, vivacity, high moral character and kind hospitality. For the past 17 years, Cora Etta has experienced extremely tough health challenges due to having colon cancer in 1994 compounded by congestive heart failure. Through the almost two decades of many hospitalizations, surgeries, and chronic illnesses, she never complained or quit helping others. She was known for her culinary skills and was constantly preparing food for delivery to others who were ill or experiencing difficult life issues. She was kind and thoughtful of others and never concentrated on herself. Throughout her life, Cora Etta consistently demonstrated the rare gift of unconditional love. Before her declining health condition, she was continually volunteering in community organizations, church, school, 4H work with youth, ladies clubs, the American Cancer Society and her sorority, Beta Phi Sigma. She loved her arts and craft hobbies and delighted in sewing beautiful clothes for her daughter when she was growing up. Her children cherish the beautiful quilts she made;one for each of them. Every stitch was a labor of love and work of art. Cora Etta's home was filled with warmth and hospitality. She enjoyed welcoming guests and always had a special treat ready for everyone, whether it was a neighbor on a pop call or invited dinner guests.
Cora Etta was preceded in death by her parents, one sister, Mary Fox Crump of Henrietta, Texas and two brothers; Bluford Fox of Dallas and John Fox of Wichita Falls, Texas. She is survived by her husband, Ray Corbin Sr. two children; Ray Corbin Jr. and wife Carolyn and daughter, Linda Corbin, a sister Catherine Fox Porter and husband M.C. of Wichita Falls; a brother, W.A. Fox and his wife Jo, of Decatur. Three generations of loving nieces and nephews, in whose lives she always maintained an adoring intrest, also survive her.