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Frank Madison “Buzz” Corwin Jr.
Frank Madison Corwin Jr., known as “Buzz,” died on April 5 at the Riverhead Care Center. He was 88.
Mr. Corwin was born on August 25, 1924, the only child of Frank M. Corwin and Florence B. (Raynor) Corwin. He had a happy and active childhood growing up on the family’s Meadow Brook Duck Farm and in the family’s woodlands and marsh along the tributaries to the Peconic River in Flanders. He loved the outdoors and nature, a passion he passed on to his children.
After graduating from Riverhead High School in 1943, he joined the Riverhead Volunteer Fire Department, where he was an enthusiastic and dedicated member of the Reliable Hose and Engine Company for 60 years. Mr. Corwin was also a proud member of the Riverhead “Ironmen” Fire Drill Racing team when they won the New York State Championship. After high school, he briefly raised and sold turkeys from the Meadow Brook Farm before beginning a long career working in the agricultural supply cooperative, GLF, which became Agway a number of years prior to his retirement.
According to survivors, he was a friendly and unpretentious man, who loved the fire department and his many friends there and elsewhere in Riverhead and the surrounding towns. He shared a lifelong love of animals with his wife and they rescued and raised many.
He married in 1949; and was a selfless and devoted husband to Muriel E. (Stein) Corwin, his wife of 64 years. He was a trustworthy, helpful, and hardworking man. He perennially worked at second and sometimes third jobs in addition to his full-time job at Agway. He enjoyed working offshore on the M/V “Ways Off” tending tankers at the Northville oil terminal, and also enjoyed visiting and selling World Book Encyclopedias to families in the evenings. His success in that enabled him, his wife, and children to spend a memorable evening with Sir Edmund and Lady Hillary.
Survivors said Mr. Corwin felt that success was learning to cope with the adversities in life, and still finding enjoyment in life. He truly succeeded in that.
Mr. Corwin is survived by three children, Beverly S. Corwin Reeves and husband Craig of Colorado, Jeffrey T. Corwin and wife Linda of Virginia, and Todd M. Corwin and wife Mimi of Flanders; five grandchildren, Gregory C. Askin and wife Jessica Boux of Canada; Elisabeth (“Betsy”) Askin and husband Grant Sharp of Chicago, Brianne G. Corwin and Kiersten M. Corwin of Flanders, and Patrick B. Corwin of Virginia.
Visitation and services were at the Reginald Tuthill Funeral Home in Riverhead on April 12 and 13. A funeral service was held on April 13.
Memorial donations may be made to the Riverhead Volunteer Fire Department, 540 Roanoke Ave., Riverhead, NY 11901 or the Flanders Northampton Volunteer Ambulance Co., 641 Flanders Rd., Flanders, NY 11901.
on Apr 12, 2013