The Reverend Richard Stillwell Corry

1919 - 2019

The Reverend Richard Stillwell Corry

Quincy - The Rev. Richard Stillwell Corry died peacefully on Sunday, October 6, 2019 at his home in Quincy, Florida, surrounded by his three daughters and other family and friends.

Father Corry was born to Arthur and Constance Walden Corry on December 8, 1919, in Quincy, where he grew up in a family of seven children. He attended both university and seminary at the University of the South, his beloved "Sewanee" in Sewanee, Tennessee. He distinguished himself there as undergraduate student body vice-president, president of the Honor Society, and recipient of an honorary leadership letter in football. A member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, he presided as president of the Tennessee Omega Chapter in 1941. In seminary, he served as student body president.

During the time after his ordination in 1944 until 1953, Father Corry served as Rector in Panama City and Port St. Joe, Florida and at Good Shepherd and St. Stephen's churches in Jacksonville; as Chairman of the Florida Diocesan Youth Department; Vicar of St. Mary's Mission in Honolulu, Hawaii; Rector of St. Mary's Church in Providence Rhode Island; and Rector of Good Shepherd Church in Boston, Massachusetts.

A caseworker for adolescents in foster care at the New England Home from 1953 to 1962, he earned a Master of Social Work from Boston University in 1957. Thereafter, he worked in numerous social work capacities in Massachusetts and North Carolina, including psychiatric social worker at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and at Alamance County Mental Health Clinic. In addition to social work practice, he worked as a supply minister in the dioceses of Massachusetts and North Carolina. Upon moving to Virginia in 1966, he served as Assistant Rector at Truro Episcopal Church in Fairfax, and from 1973 until his retirement in 1988, as Rector of St. Paul's Church and Grace Church in Miller's Tavern.

After retirement to his childhood home in Quincy, Father Corry continued supply work, often at St. Paul's, his family church for over a century, and he officiated at services over several years at St. Mark's Church, Chattahoochee. In 2017, the Bishop of Florida appointed him Rector Emeritus of St. Paul's. The Episcopal Church provided him lifelong work, comfort and joy.

Much adored by family, friends and parishioners for his generosity, gentle kindness, and unfailing civility to all, Father Corry also delighted with his wry sense of humor, renditions of Bing Crosby and Big Band tunes, and spontaneous declamations of poetry and scripture in his sonorous voice. He loved golf, poetry, history, live theatre, Gators and FSU football, NPR and MSNBC political commentary, and sharing interesting food. He believed in compassion, fairness and social justice, and devoted his life to those values.

His marriage to Dr. Virginia Lawson Clower ended in divorce. He is survived by daughters Candace Garner (Bill Pritchard); Nell Corry; Constance Corry (Michael Vaughan); grandchildren Jesse Corry, Will Garner, Alex Vaughan, Suzanna Vaughan and Jack Vaughan; sisters Doris Beinhart and Patricia Faulconer; and a multitude of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. The family is deeply grateful for the devoted care he received in his final years from Susan Franks, Jeralean Henry, Mary Elizabeth McMillan, Shirley Sheffield, and Lonnie Taylor.

A memorial service and celebration of life will be held the weekend of his 100th birthday on Saturday, December 7, 2019, 1:00 pm at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Quincy, Florida. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to The School of Theology at the University of the South, 735 University Avenue, Sewanee, TN 37352 or to St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 10 West King Street, Quincy, FL 32351. Charles McClellan Funeral Home is assisting with arrangements.