Southampton Native Raymond Richard Corwin Dies At 49

Raymond Richard Corwin

Southampton native Raymond Corwin died in his sleep on October 21 in Jacksonville, Florida. Known to friends as “Ray,” was 49.

Born June 28, 1961, in Southampton to Dr. Donald and Dorothy Corwin, he grew up in Southampton and attended Southampton High School, where he was a member of the golf team. Although Mr. Corwin was born with cystic fibrosis, he never let it define who he was, his family said. He had a passion for weather, fast cars, boats, science and travel and was an avid University of Florida Gator fan. He also loved spending time with his little dog, Jazzy.

Mr. Corwin never just had a “mild” interest in anything—he was enthusiastic about everything he did, family said.

Family members recalled that he wanted to see how things worked, so at age 3 he took apart a clock and put it back together—and it still worked. They also told of the time he wanted to take out a small rowboat. He was told that when he could pull the motor cord and start the boat, he could go. He pulled and pulled and managed to get the boat going and steered it from one dock to the other at age 5. And when he wanted to water ski, he swam from one boat to another to convince his father he was safe to go out in the bay to ski.

As child Mr. Corwin made weather charts. He was so fascinated by weather—children with cystic fibrosis are not allowed to go out in the cold and rain—and flipped through channels until he found the weather report of his liking.

Family said that Mr. Corwin never did anything half-heartedly and that he lived his life to the fullest. At one time, he had 18 tanks of tropical angel fish. He had fun with go-carts as a child and fast cars as an adult. He enjoyed fireworks on the 4th of July (or any other occasion), parties with friends and holiday gatherings with family.

During high school summers, he worked at both Dunkerley’s Office Products and Bofill Marine in Southampton. He attended college in Columbia, South Carolina and went on to the University of Florida, where he received his certificate in ophthalmic technology.

Mr. Corwin taught technology students in the ophthalmology clinic at the Shands of the University of Florida Teaching Hospital in Jacksonville for 10 years, until his health started to fail. He had a double lung transplant in 1997 in Madison, Wyoming, and recovered well enough to continue his career in ophthalmology as a clinical specialist for Marco Ophthalmic in Jacksonville, Florida. There he helped develop optic technology products and taught many students how to measure refraction in the eyes.

His health failed again and he had several medical procedures, the last being a craniotomy after a fall last year. However, he survived these challenges as well and continued to try and live a full life, family said.

He is survived by a brother James Whitney Corwin; a sister Susan Corwin and her husband Chuck Mitchell; a niece, Kathleen Kayner Mitchell; and an aunt, uncle, and many cousins. He was predeceased by his father, Dr. Donald Corwin, mother, Dorothy Corwin, and sister, Carol Diane Corwin,

A celebration of his life will be held on Saturday, November 6, at 11 a.m. at the Lakewood Presbyterian Church in Jacksonville, Florida. A luncheon reception will follow.

In lieu of flowers, it was Mr. Corwin’s wish that people register to be organ donors. In addition, donations to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, 8382 Baymeadows Road, Suite 9, Jacksonville, FL 32256, or any charity would be appreciated by the family.