Zane N Corson's Obituary
Zane Nicholas Corson, 95, of Tampa, Florida went home to our Lord Jesus Christ on January 22, 2026.
Zane was born in Reading, Pennsylvania on July 29, 1930, to Walter and Ruth (Thalman) Corson. He was one of four children and grew up in Pennsylvania and Delaware. He attended Wesley Junior College in Dover, Delaware where he was a ministerial student and member of the basketball and baseball teams. A gifted young athlete, he won five city baseball championships and was invited to try out with the Chicago Cubs minor league baseball team in 1954.
Zane proudly served his country in the 707th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Gun Battalion, United States Army, during the Korean War. After serving in the Army, Zane transferred to the University of Tampa, where he met his wife, Sherry, on Valentine’s Day, 1964. Zane graduated third in his class with degrees in Elementary Education and Physical Education. His volunteer work during college with the Boy Scouts of America and summer church camps led him to his true passion of teaching.
Zane taught for 34 years in the Hillsborough County Public School system. He specifically embraced teaching reading to emergent readers and published his own phonics method after his retirement. Zane’s love of teaching inspired two of his grandchildren to become teachers. Zane was also a general contractor and owned several rental properties, which he continued to work on well into his 90’s.
He is survived by his beloved wife of 62 years, Sherry (DuPont); son, Samuel T. Corson (Karen Paczkowski); daughter, Amy Corson DeMarinis (Patrick DeMarinis); grandchildren: Joshua Corson, Emily Corson, Adam Corson, Ben Corson, Vincent DeMarinis, and Rocco DeMarinis; sister, Elaine Biggs; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Zane loved The Lord, his family, and teaching. He will be best remembered for his faith, his incredible strength, his unique creations, and always being willing to drop everything to help - with a smile and a whistle.
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