Barbara May McCorkle

On Tuesday, February 15, 2022, with her devoted husband of over 62 years by her side, Barbara M. (Chaput) (Stanley) McCorkle of Rotunda West, Fla., formerly of Lakeville, Mass., passed peacefully at home and returned to the angels in heaven.

The daughter of the late Victor and Ella (Stowell) Chaput, she was born and grew up in Haverhill, Mass. As a woman in her late teens, she met and married (the late) Edward T. Stanley, and several years later became a young widow at the age of 26 with five (5) young sons. While working hard to make ends meet, in 1958 she met a young man at work named Jim, who had just returned to the workforce after returning home from the Navy. They worked together and he was soon smitten and fell in love with her and her five boys. On August 9, 1959, they were joined in marriage, and soon had two more boys to add to their family.

The young couple lived in Avon, Mass., then Brockton, Mass., until eventually building a home in Lakeville, Mass., where they lived for many years before moving to Florida. During that time, Barbara was an active and busy young mother to her seven sons, was a licensed realter in Brockton, was an expert seamstress, as well as belonging to the Town of Lakeville Conservation Division. Upon finding the perfect spot in Florida in the late eighties, the couple commuted as snowbirds until finally settling in Englewood and then Rotonda West some years later. Barbara loved Florida and had been enjoying living there the past 36 years.

Forever the lover of a good joke, Barbara was always over the top and the life of the party. She was the first to roll up her sleeves and join in the fun, and always there to lend a helping hand. She could make you laugh with her quick wit and one liners and laugh at the shock on your face when you realized what she had just said. She could be counted on to make you enjoy a good chuckle at her expense. Always active in the church, she was not only a devout parishioner, but she also volunteered her time as a Eucharistic minister and an usher at the St. Francis of Assisi parish in Grove City, Fla., for many years.

She was the hostess with the warm heart and eager spirit at the baked goods table, and oh, could she cook!!! Everyone loved Barbara's cooking, especially her baked goods. She spent her spare time serving luncheons for the bereaved, participated in the card parties and raffles for the local charities, and was the first to volunteer for the DOEs ladies of the Englewood Elks, while organizing collations after funerals at the church. Retirement suited her and Jim just fine. They both were avid dancers and they easily would float across the dance floor, and enjoyed line dancing at the Elks. Besides kicking up their heels, they enjoyed traveling throughout the country, and joining tours overseas in Europe and Russia.

Barbara was the epitome of strength, losing her young son Michael at the age of five, and four more of her sons as adults. Yet, she was always a pillar of hope for her family, sharing her words of wisdom and encouragement to others in need. She had a heart of gold, a mischievous giggle, and was loved dearly by all who knew her.

She is survived by her loving husband, James (Jim) R. McCorkle, Sr. who made her comfortable in her final days, doting on her at home, and even learning how to cook! Barbara was the mother to seven sons - the late James R. Stanley (Karen), the late Joseph S. Stanley (Patricia), the late Edward R. Stanley (Sandra), the late Raymond T. Stanley (Christine), Russell R. Stanley (Ruth Ann) of South Dartmouth, Mass., the late Michael J. McCorkle, and James (Jay) R. McCorkle, Jr (Michele) of Stoughton, Mass. She was the loving sister to Russell Chaput (the late Louise), Robert Chaput (the late Joyce), the late Richard Chaput (the late Marie), Victoria Chaput Jean (David), Shirley Chaput Blackey (the late Gordon), the late Irene Chaput Bradley (the late Theodore), and the late Leona Chaput Dunham (the late Earl). Barbara was blessed with twelve grandchildren and twenty-six great-grandchildren whom she adored, as well as her numerous nieces and nephews, great-nieces and nephews and great-grand-nieces and nephews.

The visitation hours will be held on Tuesday, February 22, 2022 from 12 Noon until 4 p.m., at Englewood Community Funeral Home 3070 S. McCall Rd. Englewood, FL 34224. A Mass to celebrate her life will be held on Wednesday, February 23, 2022 at 9:30 a.m., at St. Francis of Assisi Church 5265 Placida Rd. Grove City, FL 34224. A reception will follow in the Church Hall following the Mass. Entombment will take place at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Venice Memorial Gardens.

In lieu of flowers, one may consider donations to the American Liver Foundation (nonprofit) at www.liverfoundation.org or Charitable Giving American Liver Foundation PO Box 299 West Orange, NJ 07052.

You may share a memory with the family at www.englewoodfh.com