Henry Michael Corwin

Mike Corwin December 16, 1940 - October 18, 2010 Henry Michael "Mike" Corwin died Monday, October 18, 2010, at Scott and White Hospital in Temple, Texas, following a massive stroke. A memorial service will be 2:00 p.m., Friday, October 22, at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Funeral Home Chapel with Reverend Richard Koskela officiating. A visitation with the family will be 6:00 - 8:00 p.m., Thursday, October 21, at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Garden Room. Mike was born in Waco, Texas December 16, 1940, to Nelma Michael Corwin and Henry Lloyd "Hank" Corwin. He grew up attending Columbus Avenue Baptist Church and attending Waco schools. He spent much of his youth active in the Boy Scout Organization and achieved the honor of being an Eagle Scout. After graduating from Waco High School in 1959, he attended the University of Texas for a year and then moved back home to attend Baylor University. While at Baylor, he was a member of Delta Sigma Pi Business and Social Fraternity. He had a great time with the Delta Sigs and graduated from Baylor with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in 1963. After graduation, he immediately joined the Naval Reserve Program. Including his active training duty, he was in the Naval Reserve for six years. Following his active duty, he returned to Waco and decided to follow his dad into urban renewal. Hank was head of the Waco Urban Renewal Agency at that time, and Mike became the second graduate of the Kansas City, Kansas, Renewal Agency Training Program. He was immediately named Assistant Director and later Director of the Hearne, Texas Renewal Agency. During his time in Hearne, he married Judith England, and their first child, Laura, was born. They soon decided to move back to Waco, where he joined his father-in-law to work in sales for the J.F. England Company, an affiliate of Spraying Systems Company, handling the Texas and New Mexico sales areas. A few years later, he and Judy had their second child, Christopher "Casey" Michael. Also during this time, Mike was winning multiple "Million Dollar Sales" awards with Spraying Systems Company, and was named Salesman of the Year in 1976 over many other salesmen throughout the country. Mike and his family joined Lakewood Christian Church in 1970, where he was a Deacon for many years and served on numerous church committees. He was also a Board member and served a term as President of the Board of the Fish Pond Boating and Fishing Club. During the late 1970s, after a divorce, Mike was granted custody of the two children. In 1982, he married Kay Smith Wilson, an old friend from high school and from Columbus Avenue Baptist Church, where the two met when they were six years old. Kay also had two children, Robin and Lesley. It was difficult for a while for both parents and kids, but the growing children eventually became friends. In 1984, Mike bought J.F. England Company from his former father-in-law; then, in 1989, Mike and his office won The President's Award, the highest award a sales office could win in a year. In 2005, poor health started to catch up with Mike, so he decided to retire and sold his sales office to one of his former salesmen. Eighteen years ago, Mike experienced the greatest tragedy of his life, the loss of his then 19 year-old son, Casey, in a car wreck. He lost a part of himself at that time but seemed to get some of that back when two years later Laura and her husband Chris Talley presented him with a grandson, Michael. Mike and Kay decided then that there would be no such thing as step-grandchildren. Over the years, Laura and Chris added two daughters-Megan and Caroline-to their family ...two granddaughters for Mike and Kay. Kay's daughter, Lesley, and her husband, Brad Mullen, had daughter, Madison, and then son, Connor, giving Mike and Kay a full house of grandchildren, all of whom Mike and Kay both have enjoyed greatly over the years. It's a shame that the youngest grandson will not get to grow up knowing his Poppa Mike. Surviving Mike is his wife, Kay; daughters, Laura Talley and husband, Chris; Robin Wilson, Lesley Mullen and husband, Brad; grandchildren, Michael, Megan and Caroline Talley and Madison and Connor Mullen; and a host of many friends. Memorials may be made to The Freedom Alliance, USO, The Wounded Warriors Project, The Alzheimer's Association or any military cause of your choosing. The family invites you to leave a message or memory in our "Memorial Guestbook" at www.WilkirsonHatchBailey.com.