Dr. James Robert Corey

Funeral Mass to Celebrate the life of Jim Corey will be held at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, May 23, 2026 at St. John's Catholic Church in Baker, MT with Fr. Baskar Raj celebrating. Jim will be laid rest beside his wife, Lonna, at the Corey family burial site at St. John Cemetery in Baker. Reception will follow at Thee Garage.

Dr. James Robert Corey was born in Baker, Montana, on January 17, 1937, and passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, on December 14, 2025, in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

James (Jim) graduated from Baker High School in 1955 and began studying engineering at St. Thomas College in Minneapolis, Minnesota. After marrying his childhood sweetheart, Lonna O’Connor, he transferred to Montana State University in Bozeman, where they welcomed the first of their five children. There, he discovered his lifelong love for books and the liberal arts—especially Westerns and cowboy stories that had captured his imagination since boyhood. Lonna, already a nurse, supported the family as they moved to Missoula, where Jim earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in English from the University of Montana.

He began teaching at Northern Montana College, welcoming three more children along the way. Jim went on to earn his Ph.D. in American Studies from Washington State University, marking the start of a distinguished academic career. A respected scholar and teacher of American literature, he focused on the writings and philosophy of the American West, with a particular devotion to Mark Twain and Ernest Hemingway. He drew inspiration from their adventurous spirits—traveling widely, fishing often, and living with curiosity, honesty, and humor.

One favorite story he told was of fly-fishing the North Fork near Paradise, Montana, during graduate school—where he found himself side by side with Hemingway, who lived in Idaho at the time. Though he ultimately chose teaching over engineering, his early scientific training enriched his work. At science and engineering universities, he taught American literature and technical writing with enthusiasm, bridging the humanities and sciences with ease.

Dr. Corey taught for many years at the University of Petroleum and Minerals in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, and later at New Mexico Tech in Socorro, New Mexico, where their youngest child, Glen, was born. He also served as a Fulbright Scholar in Jordan and Bulgaria. Wherever he taught, he left behind generations of students inspired by his intellect, humor, and energy.

Jim delighted in words and the endless worlds they opened. He possessed a remarkable vocabulary and loved writing, conversation, music, and wordplay. Whether crafting witty Christmas poems, reciting favorite verse, or explaining a curious etymology, he shared his joy in language freely. He passed to his children and grandchildren a deep love of learning, travel, books, and adventure—a life guided by curiosity and wonder.

A gifted athlete, Jim played every sport available, lettering in all during high school, and went on to compete in handball, tennis, softball, and racquetball. In midlife he became a marathon runner until his knees slowed him down. He sang beautifully—a crooner’s tenor—and could spin an engaging story on nearly any subject: John Ford films, Notre Dame football, Western philosophy, or the family’s van-camping adventures across Europe in the 1970s. Even into his late eighties, he remained a captivating storyteller and spirited thinker.

At the heart of Jim’s life was his unwavering sense of character. Honesty, fidelity, and doing what was right guided everything he did. Above all, he was a devoted husband and father. Jim fell in love with Lonna when they were children in Baker, Montana, and together they built a life grounded in love, integrity, and mutual respect. Their devotion never wavered—each day reflecting the values they cherished in both word and deed.

Dr. Corey was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Lonna; his parents, Anastacia (Whalen) and Ray Joseph Corey of Baker; and his siblings Marge Whalen of Minneapolis; Marlene (Denzil) Young of Baker; Norma (Bob) Tatarka of Bozeman; Howard Corey of Polson; and Patrick Corey of Yuma, Arizona. He is survived by sisters-in-law Iris Corey of Camarillo, California, and Sharrie Corey of Yuma. He was also preceded by Lonna’s older siblings Dick (Pat), Butch, and Joyce (Paul) Kristensen, and is survived by her sister-in-law Shirley O’Connor and younger siblings Janice, Jack (Claudine), Nick (Herschel), and Dan (Lynette) O’Connor, all of Montana.

He is also survived by all five of his and Lonna’s children: Ray (Cara Wilson) Corey of Seattle; Jeff (Madonna Valentine) Corey of Houston; Craig (Deborah Lopez) Corey of Albuquerque; Glen Corey of Brigham City, Utah; and Janine Corey of Seattle. Jim loved his daughters-in-law so completely that he often said he had four sons and four daughters.

He was enormously proud of his eleven grandchildren: Tyler (Aubrey) Corey of Seattle; Alex (Stephanie) Corey of Golden, Colorado; Tatiana (Michael) DiRienzo of San Antonio, Texas; Marshall Corey of Seattle; Sam Corey of Albuquerque; Ben Corey of Dallas; Carson Bukowski of Seattle; Everett Bukowski of Las Cruces; Ryker (Megan) Corey of Seattle; Miles Bukowski of Seattle; and Coral Corey of Brigham City, Utah. He was especially delighted to meet his four great-grandchildren: Greyson and Declan Corey of Golden, and Vienna and Victoria DiRienzo of San Antonio.

Jim and Lonna are also remembered lovingly by a large extended family of nieces, nephews, and great-nieces and nephews—well over a hundred in number—each one deeply cherished.

                                  "His life was one of curiosity, scholarship, and unshakable love ~ a live well and fully lived"