James C. Corbitt Jr. (Jim) age 80, passed away from Alzheimer’s disease on January 6, 2021 at a care home in Long Beach, California. Jim was born on February 12, 1940 in Memphis, Tennessee to Cecil and Birdie Corbitt.
At a young age Jim was fascinated with flying but also disassembling and sometimes fixing household items. This all came together when his mother found him getting ready to jump off the roof with a hand-built wing. Jim joined the ROTC in High School and in June of 1955 at the age of 15, took his first real flight on a DC-7. It was safe to say he was hooked. He joined the Air Force in 1959 where he learned how to fly and finished up his service in 1962. After the Air Force he was ready to learn how to build airplanes so he went to Emery Riddle and earned an Aeronautical Engineering degree, graduating in 1964. After graduation he landed a job at Douglas in Long Beach, CA and worked on the DC-8 and DC-9 and then went to work on rockets at Martin Marietta in Orlando. Soon after that in July of 1968 his favorite son was born and he became a father. His later occupations were working for Hammock Brothers Roofing, County of Orange, and Cox Associates. In 1988 he moved to Zellwood, FL to live out his dream on an airport with his house, hanger, and plane until 2015. He spent his last 5 years in Southern California to be closer to his son. Jim will be missed, he was a kind person, great friend, awesome dad, and someone that would stop what he is doing to help you out.
Jim was preceded in death by Mr. and Mrs. James C. Corbitt, Sr. and wife Diane Corbitt. He is survived by his son James Todd Corbitt, sister Joe Ann Taylor, nieces Dee Dee Duett and Sheri Stevens husband John and numerous great nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his name to: EAA Chapter 74 at 3614 E. Amelia St Orlando, FL 32803 or the Recreational Aviation Foundation at 1711 W College St, Bozeman, MT 59715.
https://secure.theraf.org/np/clients/theraf/donation.jsp?forwardedFromSecureDomain=1&campaign=19
A celebration of his life will be held at Loomis Funeral Home 420 West Main Street Apopka, FL. 32703 on February 27th 2021 from 12-3 with a short service at 1:00 and food to follow.
To watch the Service, please click on the link below.
https://www.oneroomstreaming.com/view/authorise.php?k=1613527749101159