DENNIS KEITH McCORKLE

DENNIS KEITH McCORKLE
Dennis Keith McCorkle, age 72, passed away peacefully at home in Needles, California on Friday, December 28, 2018 with family at his side after a brief battle with metastatic bladder cancer. He was born in Needles, California, on April 29, 1946 to Hugh Marion and Anna Marie (Johnson) McCorkle.
Dennis was raised in San Bernardino, Calif. and graduated from Aquinas High School in 1964 where he was all-CIF short stop in baseball all four years of high school and quarterback of the football team. After high school, Dennis enlisted in the USMC serving 4-½ years. Upon being honorably discharged, this Vietnam War veteran returned to live in Needles. Using his GI Bill benefits, Dennis received an A.A. degree in Liberal Arts from San Bernardino Valley College. He retired from SoCal Gas Co. as District Manager for Needles and Blythe, Calif. after 29 years and then again as Special Projects Manager after an additional 12 years of service.
Youth sports in Needles benefited from Dennis' many years of volunteering, including the Needles Park & Rec Commission, the Needles Parents & Coaches Assoc., Needles High School assistant JV baseball coach, 13 yrs. Little League baseball coach and umpire, youth basketball coach, and five yrs. Needles Swim Team assistant coach.
Dennis was preceded in death by his parents and older brother, Hugh M. "Bud" McCorkle, Jr.
He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Nannette McCorkle; son, Eric and Tracy Heinige, grandchildren, Tanner, Tyler and Natalie of Woodburn, Ore.; son, Patrick and Jamie McCorkle, grandson, Aiden of Needles, Calif.;. son, Jeremiah and Erica McCorkle, grandchildren, Juliet, Malcolm and Gideon of Lake Havasu City, Ariz.; sister, Pamela and Gerhard Klemm of Fort Mohave, Ariz.; and brother, Terrence McCorkle of Barstow, Calif.
A funeral mass will be held at 10:00 a.m. (CA time) on Friday, February 8, 2018 at St. Ann's Catholic Church, 218 D St. in Needles, CA. A celebration of life will follow at the Needles Elks Lodge, 1000 Lillyhill Dr. in Needles, CA.
Dennis' passion was playing baseball. Anyone wishing to make a donation in Dennis' memory to help support a young baseball player may drop off or mail a check made payable to "Needles Little League" or "CRAGS" (Colorado River Area Girls Softball) to Desert Communities Federal Credit Union, PO Box 918, 1001 W. Broadway, Needles, CA 92362.