CORCORAN, Gary Gerard

Gary Gerard Corcoran, from Paradise, Newfoundland, died at home on May 26, 2021 at the age of 60, after living with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) since 2018. Gary is survived by his wife Gayle, sons Colin and Christopher, and a large, loving family of siblings: Shirley (Adrian) Yetman, Walter (Agatha) Corcoran, Patrica (Earl) Kielly, Doris (Desmond) Lewis, Carolann (Michael) Lewis, Edward (Marie) Corcoran, Yvonne (Clarence) Tobin, Valentine (Anne) Corcoran and Phyllis Tarrant. Gary is pre-deceased by his parents, Valentine and Dorothy, brother Jack and sister Mary. Gary also leaves behind his cherished dog, Harry. Everything about Gary was big: he lived every day with gusto and had a voracious appetite for everything life had to offer. No challenge was too big. Gary had a 30-year career at RBC Dominion Securities with clients and colleagues from across Canada, a lifetime of service with various charities including the St. John’s Rotary Club and Saint John Ambulance. The only thing greater than his commitment to community was his love for his family and friends. Among a lifetime of accomplishments, Gary will best be remembered for his love of food and passion for cooking. His kitchen was his castle, and even when he was travelling, you could always find Gary in a kitchen somewhere. He was an adventurous chef, a generous host, and an enthusiastic teacher. When he was diagnosed with ALS, he turned his focus to writing a 320-page cookbook filled with his own recipes, a legacy to his lifetime of work. So how does one sum up a life so fully and generously lived? It’s all there, on every single page of Gary’s cookbook. Try new things. Share with others. Add spice—lots of it. And most importantly, Gary’s last word in almost every recipe: “enjoy”. The entire Corcoran family is filled with gratitude for everyone on Gary’s care team. In particular, thank you to the ALS multidisciplinary team at Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto, and Dr. Susan Macdonald, with the palliative care unit at Eastern Health in St. John’s for helping give Gary the best quality of life he could have while living with ALS. And thanks to the many friends who visited Gary, bringing him his favourite food and meals over the last year. Due to COVID-19, there will be no funeral service. If you want to honour Gary, please make a donation to Sunnybrook Foundation – ALS Clinic or the Stoker’s Club of St. John’s Rotary. To send a message of condolence, please visit www.carnells. com.