DOUGLAS CORBETT

Condolences & Memories (2 entries)

• Like others, I am deeply saddened by the passing of Mr. Corbett but at the same time I am even more grateful and am blessed for the time I was able to spend with him and soak in his wisdom, wit, compassion … and the list of superlatives can go on and on. For the sake of this writing, I will take the liberty of calling him ‘Doug’, even though at the ripe old age of 62, the respect I have for this man makes this hard to do. I’d like to relate something that occurred many years ago, I’d put it at maybe 25 years, that still puts a smile on my face every time I remember, and trust me, it’s a memory that even dementia will not wipe out. My wife, Debbie, and I were spending time at “The Seven C’s”, their summer home on Lake of the Woods, visiting with Adele and Earl and Doug and Sue. I guess all we boys were a little bored one Saturday and someone came up with the idea to go golfing … I think more to appease me as I love to golf. So Earl, Keith, Scott and I decided to go to Falcon Lake to play 18 holes. It dawned on us that maybe Doug would like to come too, so we invited him, and even though Doug rarely golfed, he was eager to join us, likely to simply spend time with Earl and his grandsons. Well, as unaccomplished a golfer as Doug was, he was having a great time! He would hit the ball … not so well … and very often … but that was certainly not putting a damper on his day. We got to one hole and Doug got on tee, teed his ball up, grabbed the club with his unconventional grip (it looked like he was trying to throttle the club) and swung as hard as he could. Doug may not have been a great golfer, but he got his money’s worth with the ferocity of his swing … and the number of swings he got in over 18 holes!! The rest of us were standing behind Doug to watch his ball as his eyesight was not the greatest. Once he had swung at the ball and it began to head out, a “missile” seemed to leave his hands and I followed it while the others were watching the flight of the ball. The “missile” was his golf club sailing out of his hands, high into the sky and into the forest behind the tee box!!! Doug looked shocked as he had no idea where his club had gone. I pointed into the forest and he just began to laugh and laugh and laugh, as we all did. I think Keith was given the duty of climbing a tree to retrieve the club. There are memories that all of us have of Doug that will live with us forever, and this is part of his legacy. I have no idea about the metaphysical afterlife and whether Doug gets to ‘smile down on us’ or talk to Jesus, but I do know that Doug’s influence while on Earth will last forever in his beautiful wife Sue, each of his daughters and their husbands, grandchildren, great grandchildren and all of the countless friends that have had the privilege of having Doug cross our paths and grace us with his presence and influence. I will be forever grateful, and a better person, for having known Doug and it is one of the blessings I thank God for providing to me. Thanks for allowing me to share this and I wish God’s grace to all those close to Mr. Corbett who are grieving at his loss. - Posted by: Ken Shamanski (Friend) on: Oct 14, 2016

• So sorry to hear about the passing of a great Husband & Father as well as a Friend to many. Great memories from Otterburne, Winnipeg and of course the "7 C's". I'm sure my Dad will enjoy seeing Doug again. Our thoughts and prayers with the family. - Posted by: Ron Martens (Family Friend) on: Oct 13, 2016