Frederick Joseph Korkmas

1926 - 2014

Dr. Fred Korkmas, M.D., 88, passed away peacefully Tuesday, April 29, 2014, at 11:30 a.m., surrounded by his family. Celebration of life: 10 a.m. Saturday at Good Shepherd Catholic Community Church. Visitation: and rosary will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at Bluebonnet Hills Memorial Chapel. Fred was born in Fort Smith, Ark., on March 18, 1926, to Nazha and Joseph Korkmas. He was the fifth of six children. He graduated from high school in 1943 in Tyler. He continued his education at the University of Texas at Austin where he earned his pharmacology degree. He attended the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. After he graduated he went to Giddings, where he had a family practice for a year. Fred did his residency in obstetrics and gynecology in Kansas City, Mo., and then moved to Irving, where he joined his brother, Maurice. Fred and Maurice shared an OB/GYN practice at the Medical and Surgical Clinic of Irving. Dr. Fred was active on the staff of Irving Community Hospital, which later became Baylor Medical Center, where he served as the chief of staff. In 1965, he married Rita Massad from Kilgore. Their pride and joy, Joseph, was born in 1966. Fred loved his family and enjoyed being at home and tinkering in his garage and building things like go-carts for his son and nephews who lived next door. The family would like to thank his devoted caretaker, Palu Ngungutau, and her entire family who lovingly cared for him during his two-year battle with advanced dementia. Survivors: Fred is survived by his loving and devoted wife of 48 years, Rita; son, Joseph; sister, Mary Katherine Nassif of Los Angeles, CA; brother, Dr. Maurice Korkmas and wife, Linda; sister-in-law, Sandra MacConnell and husband, Glenn; and many, many nephews, nieces, great-nephew, great-nieces and cousins.