John M. Corwin

John M. Corwin, 90, of Royal Oak was a loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, son, brother, uncle, and friend. His humor, intelligence, caring, and kindness were beloved traits that we will cherish forever. He brought much laughter and love to our lives. John passed away on October 16, 2021. He was the son of William and Kathryn Corwin, and is survived by his sister Lois Grieg, wife Vera-Anne, children Gail (Norman) Bayne, Gregory (Leslie) Corwin, and Lynn (Charles) Byers, as well as eleven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. John and Vera-Anne were married 66 years. They traveled extensively throughout North America in their motorhome. They also traveled to all seven continents. Their greatest trip of all was a National Geographic cruise to Antarctica, where they walked among the penguins. John’s passion for downhill skiing culminated with finally skiing for free at age 80 in Alta, Utah. He constantly amazed us with what he created in his phenomenal workshop. There seemed to be no end to his ingenuity. John was born September 3, 1931 in New Jersey, where he was raised. He had an insatiable interest in fixing and designing mechanical things from a young age, nurtured by his father. This led to him experimenting with various materials and metals to rebuild parts, which led to his intense interest in metallurgy and chemistry. John earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Metallurgical Engineering from Lafayette College, a Masters of Automotive Engineering degree from Chrysler Institute of Engineering, and a Masters of Business Administration in Management from Wayne State University. He was a registered Professional Engineer. John was involved in research and development for Chrysler Corporation for 36 years. He was particularly interested in creating specialized ceramics and high strength steels for unique applications, including the Chrysler Turbine engine. He authored a plethora of patents and technical papers. John was honored by a US Senate Committee for his efforts in forming the United States Advanced Ceramics Association (USACA). In addition to Chrysler, he was Vice-President of both Amitech and Unique Solutions, Inc. and consulted for TelTech. John served in the U.S. Army and continued serving as an Army Reserves Captain. He sang in the church choir and volunteered in a wide variety of organizations. John’s family was his top priority. He was enormously dedicated to his wife, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. He will be greatly missed. A Celebration of Life service will be held on Saturday, November 20th at 3:00pm at the First Presbyterian Church of Royal Oak, 529 Hendrie Blvd, Royal Oak, MI 48067. The family will receive friends beginning at 2 pm until time of service, 3 pm. Burial took place on October 25, 2021 in a private service at Christian Memorial Cemetery. Memorial donations can be sent to the First Presbyterian Church of Royal Oak. Please share your memories at www.sullivanfuneraldirectors.com.

John M. Corwin

September 3, 1931 - October 16, 2021