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Her Life

Rosemary Corcoran Obituary

April 27, 2013

Rosemary Corcoran, 94, passed away peacefully at home in Cayucos on April 19th, 2013.    Rosemary was born March 8, 1919 in Toledo, Ohio to Justin Rice Whiting, an automotive industrial engineer, and Doris Erma Whiting (née Black), a homemaker.  Her early life was spent in Toledo, Ohio and Grosse Pointe, Michigan. She attended Robert Trombly Elementary School in Grosse Pointe during 1928.  In 1936, she graduated from Thomas A. DeVilbiss High School in Toledo in an academic program; she was a member of the French club and the Library Club.  She was described in the school yearbook as "a cool treat for hot days." She then attended Hillsdale College (1936-38), in Hillsdale, Michigan.  She was initiated into Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority in 1937.  During her long career she worked in advertising, marketing, and public relations as a writer, advertising copywriter and account manager.  She moved around the U.S. taking jobs in Detroit MI, Fort Wayne IN, New York City, and in California―Fresno, Sacramento, Los Angeles, and finally Arcata (Humboldt State University).   In Los Angeles, she worked with Helen Gurley Brown (who was also a lifelong friend) at Foote, Cone & Belding, a prominent advertising firm, where both were advertising copywriters.  Later in L.A. she worked as an account manager for Jim Bishop & Associates, a public relations firm.  She first married Orlando DuBois ”Lan” Ingalls, Jr., a WWII pilot, on March 1, 1943 (Great Falls, Montana). She and Lan were together about 1 1/2 years; a long separation during the War broke up the marriage.  On a trip to Mexico in September 1951 (Tlaquiltenango, Morelos), she married James Burton ”Burt” Leiper who worked in public relations and as a lobbyist; a second ceremony was held in Washington, D.C on December 16, 1951. She and Burt were together 17 years, divorcing on June 24, 1968.   Rosemary's third husband, Michael Corcoran (née Albert Austin Corcoran), was a long-time friend and colleague in the public relations/advertising field whom she married on March 17, 1975 (Crescent City, California).  Rosemary and Michael retired to Morro Bay in 1980, because Rosemary loved the ocean.  After Michael’s sudden death in 1985, she met Andrew Wallace “Buck” Walters, a retired engineer and recent widower.  Rosemary and Buck formed a very compatible relationship and lived together for 27 years.  In 2000, they became Registered Domestic Partners in California.   

Rosemary became an important part of the Walters’ family and will be greatly missed by several of Andrew’s children and grandchildren: daughter Laurel Walters and husband John Cronin (Cloudcroft, NM), daughter Lindsey Thornton, husband Jay and children, Molly, Riley and Jack (Fairbanks, AK), and daughter Cheryl Foden and her daughter, Lindsey (San Jose and Santa Cruz, CA).   Andrew’s grandchild, May Jacob (San Diego, CA) also was very close to Rosemary and lived with her for a time.  Rosemary was an only child, but grew up with lots of cousins in Ohio and Michigan.   She is survived by the children of her dear first cousin and friend, Margaret Morand―Carla Dustin (La Mesa, CA), Patricia Marraccini (Lawrenceburg, KY), Paul Morand (Essexville, MI).   Rosemary also formed a close relationship with a nephew and niece by her marriage to Burt Leiper, and is survived by Norman King (Walnut Creek, CA), and Dianne Briggs (Fresno, CA).

Rosemary was a gracious and polite person, who had exceptional conversational and people skills and high intelligence.  It was a pleasure to be around her due to her interesting and complimentary personality.  She had a creative fashion sense and was always beautifully put together; she was both a hand model and clothes model at various times in her life.  Rosemary excelled at socializing, loved cats and all animals, adored flowers, and she was exceptionally good with words.   She was an avid bird-watcher, concert-goer and travelled widely overseas.  She explored many places including Morocco, Australia, New Zealand, Figi, Denmark, Holland, Ireland, Finland, Tahiti, Russia, Japan, Ecuador & the Galapagos Islands, Mexico, Guatemala, British Columbia, Spain, Portugal, Greece, England, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Monaco and France.

Per her wishes, cremation and burial at sea has been done by McDermott-Crockett Mortuary, Santa Barbara.  Memorial contributions in her honor may be made to the Woods Humane Society, San Luis Obispo.

The family wishes to thank Hospice Partners of the Central Coast, Paul Smith R.N./Case Manager (Extended Family Associates, San Luis Obispo), and Caregivers Jane Scoredos, Sophie Mouret, Rexie Gravelle, Maya Aaron-Blue, and Dianne Newman from Active Care In-Home Services, Morro Bay for their excellent and compassionate care of Rosemary during her last few months.

Andrew Walters died Veterans Day, November 11, 2013 just 7 months after Rosemary passed away.