Mary Elizabeth "Beth" Corkery

1934 - 2025

Mary Elizabeth "Beth" Corkery (Winter) passed away on November 9, 2025, at 91, after a long and full life.

Beth was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on October 17, 1934, the fourth of six children of Earl and Honora (Riley) Winter. She grew up in a close-knit Irish-German family with her four sisters, Patty, Ann, Martha, and Ellen, her younger brother, Joe, and her beloved Aunt Del Riley, who lived with them and was like a second mother. The Winter sisters were famous talkers. Getting a word in edgewise wasn't easy, but Beth held her own.

Raised Catholic, her parents valued faith and education. Beth attended Ursuline Academy ('52) and Edgecliff ('56), an all-women's college now part of Xavier University. After graduating, she worked for American Airlines in reservations and enjoyed the perks, traveling throughout Europe.

In 1960, at 25 and ready for her next adventure, Beth drove west to San Francisco with two friends from Cincinnati. She started working at Pacific Bell, bought a VW Bug, and settled in. Her sister Martha soon followed, and the two shared an apartment on Green Street, just steps from the iconic Bus Stop. They lived it up in those days, with Irish coffees at the Buena Vista, sunbathing on their roof, and lots of parties, including one that began a lasting friendship with Joy Duffy.

Life changed for Beth in 1965 when Martha married Jim Corkery. At the wedding, Beth met Jim's older brother, Hugh, a Chicago native who was also living in San Francisco. They hit it off, and their dating years were spent running around the City in his Ford Mustang and her VW Bug. Beth and Hugh married in August 1969 back in Cincinnati (the Winter sisters marrying the Corkery brothers was always a fun family fact). They left a piece of their heart in San Francisco when Hugh's job brought them to Los Angeles, where their son, Hugh "HB" Corkery III, was born in 1970. Their daughter, Susan, arrived in 1972, just a few days before they relocated to Sacramento, where Beth would live for more than 50 years.

Beth stayed home when the kids were young, which would have tested a saint. She remained calm and patient, never raised her voice or said a foul word. She was a devout Catholic and longtime parishioner of St. Charles Borromeo in South Sacramento, where HB and Susan attended school. She was active in the parish and the school community, later working in food service for the Sacramento City Unified School District for many years. She also volunteered her time at the Sacramento Food Bank and Loaves & Fishes.

When Hugh passed away in 1997, Beth carried on. She lived independently for another 25 years, until a fall required her to leave her cherished Curtis Park neighbors and move to assisted living near Susan in Pleasant Hill. She was never sick "a day in her life," as she would say, and with her mobility limited, the transition was difficult. But in true Beth fashion, she made new friends at 90 and got a weekly Catholic service going.

Beth loved baseball. First her hometown Reds, and later the Giants. She preferred listening to games on the radio and faithfully listened to KNBR 680 for decades. She enjoyed her Miller High Lifes, a good soup and sandwich (never one to waste, she always took half "to go"). She found joy in gardening, gift shops, garage sales, and shopping on QVC. She had a wreath for every holiday and a touch for decorating, especially at Christmas. Her ornament collection was something special, each one with a story. She always had a fresh tree and a second artificial tree she themed, most often with angels. She's now our angel.

Beth is survived by her two children, HB Corkery of Folsom and Susan Corkery (Randy Haimovici) of Lafayette; her daughter-in-law, Charlotte Corkery of Auburn; her brother, Joe Winter (Alison) of Pasadena; and her brother-in-law, Jim Corkery (Kathleen) of Reno. She leaves behind four grandchildren, Matthew (Gabby), Daniel, Abby, and Nolan, and two great-grandchildren, River and newborn Eleanor. She adored her large Winter–Corkery extended family of 26 nieces and nephews, took a sincere interest in each, and could recall names and stories about all of them on demand.

She was preceded in death by her loving husband of 28 years, Hugh Corkery Jr.; parents, Earl and Honora Winter; sisters Patty Long, Ann Fox, Martha Corkery, and Ellen Rolfes; Aunt Del Riley; brothers-in-law Joe Long, Jack Fox, and John Rolfes; and beloved nephews Terry Corkery, Patrick Corkery, George Long, Michael Long, and Jim Fox. She made lifelong memories at Lake Tahoe and Reno with the Corkerys, family reunions in Cincinnati, Thanksgivings with the Longs and Hangads, Christmastime in Pasadena, countless weddings, and funerals that, in Irish spirit, were celebrations she made a priority to attend.

a dedicated wife, mother, grandmother, godmother, sister, aunt, and friend, Beth was everyone's favorite for a reason – kind to the core and selfless. She had a gift for remembering birthdays, anniversaries, dates of passing, and so many details over the years. Her mind remained sharp to the end, which she knew was a blessing. She lived without a fuss; anything more she called "a big production." She is now at peace and will be deeply missed.

a memorial Mass will be held on Saturday, December 20, 2025, at 11:30 a.m. at St. Cecilia Chapel, Queen of Heaven Catholic Cemetery in Lafayette, with a lunch reception to follow.