David Smith Corwin
Greenport native David Smith Corwin passed away Aug.13, 2023, at the age of 77 in Portland, Maine.
He will be best remembered for his sense of humor, loyal friendship and adventurous spirit.
Dave was born in Greenport, N.Y., in 1946 to David E. (“Babe”) and Helen (Smith) Corwin. Some of his fondest earliest memories included his regular visits to the Coronet Diner with his father, running around with the neighborhood kids and time spent on the water clamming and boating. While he lost his parents early in life, he had the fortune to go to live with Edith Dolliver at the age of 13, to have his sister, Dale, and to grow up in a community that looked out for one another.
Dave graduated from Greenport High School in 1964, where he was known for his speed on the football field and in track and field. In 1968, he graduated from Oberlin College and married Carol Brewer, his wife of 55 years.
After graduating from Purdue University’s veterinary medicine program in 1976, Dave moved to Maine with Carol and their 2-year-old daughter. He practiced veterinary medicine in Maine for 40 years, opening his own practice in 1982.
While living in Maine, Dave ventured back to Long Island regularly to visit family and friends, for high school reunions and to go sailing. His lifelong passion for sailing started as a child in Greenport, where he mowed lawns to earn enough money to purchase his first boat. He went on to own multiple sailboats throughout his life and to join his friend Harry on the annual sailboat race around Long Island and his son Joe and wife on their sailboat up in Maine.
Later in life, Dave became an avid motorcyclist. He crisscrossed the country multiple times on his motorcycle, visiting family and friends along the way. Some of his best trips included motorcycling across Alaska with his son-in-law, touring around Nova Scotia and British Columbia and cross-country rides out to California to visit his children. He motorcycled until he was 77.
He did all of this as a Type 1 diabetic. He developed diabetes in 1959 at the age of 13, at which time he went to Joslin Diabetes Center’s Pediatric Education program. He never let diabetes hold him down and lived his life to the fullest.
Dave was a committed husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle and friend who always made time for people. He leaves behind his wife, Carol; daughters Christine Corwin Cowdery and Heidi Corwin Collins; son David Joseph Corwin; granddaughters Phoebe and Isla Collins; his sister, Dale Grathwohl DeCastro; niece Laurie Austin and nephews Ned and Glen Grathwohl and their families; and numerous friends and colleagues.
A celebration of life for Dave Corwin will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 1, at the Lakeside Lodge, 28 Marigold Lane, Sidney, Maine.
Memorial donations can be made to the Joslin Diabetes Center’s Pediatric Education program.
This is a paid notice.
