SANDWICH – Elizabeth J. “Libby“ (Kelley) Corkum, 97, formerly of Ipswich, Gloucester, and Georgetown, died early Friday morning, October 3, 2014, in the Cape Heritage Nursing Home, following an extended illness. She was the wife of the late Gerald J. Corkum, who died in October of 1989.
Born in Ipswich on April 13, 1917, she was the daughter of the late John D. and Beatrice E. (Amerault) Kelley. In 1939 she moved to Gloucester, where she resided for over fifty years before moving to Georgetown for several years.
Libby was employed as a sales clerk at the former W.G. Brown Department Store before retiring in 1970. She was a longtime member of the St. John’s Episcopal Church, where she sang in the choir. She was also a former member of the Rockport Community Chorus and the Beverly Choral Group, as well as an avid amateur artist.
She is survived by her three daughters and sons-in-law, Aurora M. and Walter Wilson of Grass Valley, CA, Pauline H. and Richard Smith of Hyannis and Betty A. and Alan Harper of Pinellas Park, FL; eight grandchildren, Shari Nees and her husband, Robert of VA, Beth Wilson of CA, Karen Smith of Hyannis, Deborah Smith Watts and her husband, David of CA, Charles Smith and his wife, Stacy of Milford, Kelly Broughton and her husband, Jon of Bradford, Donald Renales of NH, Jaime Hall of Gloucester; nine great-grandchildren, Christopher Nees, Joseph and Justine Gatchell, Richard C. Smith, Brandy Wilson, Rachael Smith, Claire Renales, Sarah Broughton and Gwen Chabot; two sisters, Lorraine Cook of Ipswich, MA, and Norah, wife of Robert Harrington of Ipswich; her brother, Roger Kelley of Newbury, as well as many nieces and nephews. She was also predeceased by three brothers, Wilfred Kelley, John D. Kelley and Joseph S. Amerault.
Her funeral service will be held on Monday in the Pike-Grondin Funeral Home, 61 Middle Street, Gloucester at 10 a.m. Visiting hours will be held on Sunday from 2 - 4 p.m. Relatives and friends are cordially invited to attend. In lieu of flowers expressions of sympathy may be made to the charity of one’s choice. Interment will be held in the Seaside Cemetery, Lanesville.