Cover photo for Lawrence C. "Larry" Corban's Obituary
Lawrence C. "Larry" Corban Profile Photo

Lawrence C. "Larry" Corban

d. August 4, 2014

Lawrence C. "Larry" Corban

Lawrence C. “Larry” Corban, Jr., 85, a life-long resident of his beloved Biloxi, Mississippi died peacefully after a courageous battle with cancer, on Monday, August 04, 2014 with his adored wife Jo, and daughters Lee and Joanna at his side. Larry was preceded in death by his parents, Judge Lawrence C. Corban and Gene Sullivan Corban, and his sister Pattie Beth Corban Gunn; Larry is survived by his loving wife of 56 years, Jo Boyd Corban, daughters Eleanor Lee Corban and Joanna Corban O’Conor, son in-law George, and Granddaughter Margaret Virginia O’Conor. He is also survived by his brother Dr. Magruder S. Corban (Peggy) of Long Beach and a large family of loving nieces, nephews, cousins, and extended family. Larry was a generous, loving man, a consummate gentleman of absolute integrity, and a trusted attorney. Though known by many as a “man of few words”; when Larry spoke, people listened. One of his standard expressions was, “It will all work out”, and it always did. Larry graduated from Biloxi High School in 1947, where he played football and ran track. Following in his father’s footsteps, he attended the University of Mississippi, where he was a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity and received Bachelor of Business Administration and Juris Doctorate degrees. After completing his studies, he served in the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict, where he was stationed in Germany. Larry actively practiced law in Biloxi from 1955 until days before his death with the firm of Wadlington and Corban, which later became Corban, Gunn and Van Cleave. Active in his profession as well as his practice, Larry was a past President of the Harrison County Bar Association, and a Fellow of the Mississippi Bar Foundation. By appointment of the Mississippi Supreme Court, Larry served 2 terms on the complaint Tribunal of the Mississippi Bar Association. He also served as a member of the Bi-racial Committee for the Biloxi School District, by appointment of the United States District Court. Larry was a member of First United Methodist Church, Biloxi, which he served as a Sunday School Teacher, Lay Leader, and through several positions on the Administrative Board. He served as Chairman of Administrative Board for many years. As a committed Christian, he lived his faith through his deeds. Active in civic affairs, Larry was a 50-year member and Past President of the Biloxi Rotary Club. He was recognized as a Paul Harris Fellow, a tribute to his substantial contributions to the humanitarian and educational programs of the Rotary Foundation. He served as President of the Biloxi Chamber of Commerce, and later was a charter member of the separate Biloxi Bay Chamber of Commerce. Larry was a Thirty-Third Degree Mason, having membership in the Gulfport Scottish Rite Bodies, Biloxi York Rite Bodies, and Joppa Shrine Temple, and was a Past Master of Magnolia Lodge No. 120, F.&A.M., Biloxi. Additional civic contributions included being a member of the American Legion, and serving on the Biloxi City Library Board, the Board of Directors of Howard Memorial Hospital, the Biloxi Salvation Army Advisory Board, the Board of Directors of the Biloxi Chapter of the American Red Cross, the Board of Directors of the Moore Community House, and as President of the Biloxi Jaycees. Additionally, Larry was a founding member of the Biloxi Boom-Boom Committee, a member and past King of the Mithras Carnival Organization, and was active in the Gulf Coast Carnival Association, which he served as Duke on three separate occasions. He also served as Commodore of the Biloxi Yacht Club (BYC) and was a former member and past President of the Metropolitan Dinner Club. Larry served on the board of the Yucatan Furniture Company, Ltd. along with his dear and cherished friends Tommy Munro, Dixie Hollis, Franklin Kyle, Buddy Gillis, Stanford Morse, Richard Schmidt and Bill Pittman, with whom he enjoyed many memorable Shareholder and Board of Directors meetings in Mexico. Aside from work and civic activities, he cherished traveling, and had many opportunities to do so, traveling extensively in the United States, Canada and Europe with friends and family. Larry loved reading history, hiking with his family in our National Parks, and fishing with friends along the Chandeleur Islands and in the Louisiana marsh. He also enjoyed his supper club group, and dinner with friends at the BYC. He was very fortunate to have a close group of friends, many he knew his entire life, who he considered family. He walked 2 miles every morning and loved being outdoors, whether working in his yard or grilling on his patio with his family. Larry truly lived his life to its fullest; he was a loving husband, father and grandfather, a servant of the community, a mentor to his law partners and many other attorneys, and enjoyed fellowship with friends and family. Visitation will be held on Wednesday, August 6, 2014 from 5:00-7:00 p.m. The funeral service will be held on Thursday, August 7, 2014 at 11:00 a.m. with visitation one hour prior, all at the Howard Ave. Chapel of the Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Home. 228-374-5650 Burial: Southern Memorial Park. Larry’s family would like to thank his outstanding doctors, Dr. Regina Mills, Dr. Pamela Tuli and Dr. Vincent Pisciotta; and the wonderful and loving nurses and staff of Gulfport Memorial Hospital, Oncology, ER, ICU and Floor 4C. In lieu of flowers, the family would prefer donations to be made to the First United Methodist Church of Biloxi, 14220 Highway 67, Biloxi, MS 39532, or the Yellowstone Foundation for Yellowstone National Park, 222 East Main Street, Suite 301, Bozeman, MT 59715 which Larry wanted “to help preserve for his granddaughter Margaret and her children to enjoy”, or to your favorite charity.
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Past Services

Visitation

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

5:00am - 7:00 pm

Bradford-O'Keefe Funeral Home - Gulfport

59 Wayside Rd, Stuart, VA 24171

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Visitation

Thursday, August 7, 2014

10:00 - 11:00 am

Bradford-O'Keefe Funeral Home - Gulfport

59 Wayside Rd, Stuart, VA 24171

Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text. Standard text messaging rates apply.

Service

Thursday, August 7, 2014

Starts at 11:00 am

Bradford-O'Keefe Funeral Home - Gulfport

59 Wayside Rd, Stuart, VA 24171

Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text. Standard text messaging rates apply.

Cemetery

Bradford-O'Keefe Funeral Home - Gulfport

59 Wayside Rd, Stuart, VA 24171

Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text. Standard text messaging rates apply.

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