Gerard J. “Gary” Corcoran Jr.

CORCORAN, Gerard Joseph, Jr. ”Gary” 74, of New Hampton, NH died Friday July 6, 2018.

Born in Boston, he was the loving son of Theresa A. (Dowd) Corcoran of Hingham, and the late Gerard J. Corcoran Sr.

Gary spent his younger years in Hingham and was a 1962 graduate of Hingham High School.  He went on to attend Boston University, The University of Maine, and earned his Doctorate of Education from The University of Illinois. Gary was the Director of Bands at Pittsburg State University in Kansas until 1990, and after one year at Georgia State University in Atlanta, moved to New Hampshire where he served as Director of Bands and professor of trumpet at Plymouth State University until his retirement in 2011.

Dr. Corcoran was a founding member of the New Hampshire Band Directors Association and the New England Band Directors Institute. In addition, he was a member of the College Band Directors National Association, and the National Association for Music Education. Gary taught trumpet at PSU and performed as a member of the Lakes Region Symphony Orchestra. He also authored one book, The Addition System, a method book for teaching rhythm in music.He loved traveling, playing golf, studying German, and rooting for his favorite sports teams: the Boston Red Sox and New England Patriots.

Gary was the beloved husband of almost 36 years of Kenda L. (Lee) Corcoran. Devoted father of Sean P. Corcoran of New York City, and Ryan G. Corcoran and his wife Samantha of Wichita, KS.  Grandfather of Finn Joseph Corcoran. Brother of Carol Murray and her husband Charles of Hingham. Uncle of Michael Murray, Nancy DeAnda, Marlene Austen, Triesa Massey, Rich Cameron Lee, Cara Rose, Seth Divine, Kellee Divine, Krishonya Greer, and Kendra Greer.

Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend the visiting hours on Tuesday from 6-8 PM in the Pyne Keohane Funeral Home, 21 Emerald St. (off Central St.), HINGHAM. A funeral service will be celebrated on Wednesday at 11 AM in the funeral home, followed by burial at High Street Cemetery, Hingham.

A celebration of Gary’s life is being planned for a later date in Plymouth, New Hampshire.

Expressions of sympathy in Gary’s memory may be made to the American Cancer Society, https://www.cancer.org/, the Concord Hospice House at https://www.crvna.org/giving/donate, or a GoFundMe for Plymouth State University scholarships at https://www.gofundme.com/dr-corcoran-band-commission.