William J. Corbett Obituary

William J. Corbett was faculty at Norwood-norfolk High School in Norwood, NY. View the obituary, post a memory, or share a photo about William J. Corbett.

School Role	Faculty
Date of Passing	Mar 22, 1994
About	Age 54 - The corridors of Norwood-Norfolk Central School were empty Friday as staff and students attended a memorial for a beloved colleague and teacher. William J. Corbett, 54, was stricken at Norwood-Norfolk High School Tuesday morning and died at Canton-Potsdam Hospital, after suffering an apparent heart attack. "He touched a lot of people's lives," Superintendent Yvonne E. Watkins said. Schools in the district were closed Friday in honor of Mr. Corbett, who worked as a Business Education teacher in the district for 33 years. He also served as senior class advisor, yearbook advisor and coached hockey and junior-varsity softball. After Mr. Corbett was stricken at school and taken by ambulance to hospital, substitute teachers were called in while high school counselors comforted staff and pupils, Miss Watkins said. Hundreds attended Mr. Corbett's funeral at St. Francis of Assisi Newman Center, with Monsignor John Murphy and the Rev. Thomas Moody presiding. Burial was made in Bayside Cemetery. Surviving are his wife, Judith A.; two sons, Steven and Michael; a daughter, Mrs. Raymond (Michelle) Patraw; two granddaughters; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Martin J. Corbett; and two brothers, Robert and Gerald. Born in Potsdam on Sept. 15, 1939, a son of Martin J. and Katherine Martin Corbett, he was a 1957 graduate of Potsdam High School. He received a bachelor of business administration degree from Clarkson College in 1961 and a master's degree in education from St. Lawrence University. He married Judith Ann Spotwood on Aug. 17, 1963, at St. Mary's Church, with the Rev. Frederick Brockway presiding. Mr. Corbett was employed with Norwood-Norfolk Central School as chairman of the business mathematics department and served as coach for the school's girl's softball and boy's hockey teams. He also served as coach of the Potsdam Pee Wee Hockey Association and as medical trainer for the Potsdam High School and Clarkson University's Golden Knights hockey teams. He served as a special deputy with the St. Lawrence County Sheriff's Department. He was a member of the Potsdam Volunteer Rescue Squad for over 30 years, where he was a past chief.