Diane Blankenship Corker

Diane Blankenship Corker, 80, died October 12, 2016 at Langdale Hospice House after a long illness. Born in Atlanta, Georgia on November 1, 1935, she was the daughter of David Eldridge and Inez Jackson Blankenship. She attended Atlanta public schools and graduated from Bass High School in 1953. She enrolled in the first coed class at Emory University in the fall of 1953. She was a member of the Delta Club, predecessor of the Tri Delta sorority chapter at Emory. She was also a member of the International Order of The Rainbow Girls, a Masonic youth service organization, and during her sophomore year at Emory she served as Georgia state president. In 1955 she married her husband, Frank T. Corker. While he was finishing college and medical school at Emory, she worked as a legal secretary for a prominent Atlanta law firm. Upon her husband's medical school graduation, he entered the United States Air Force and she spent the ensuing years as a mother and Air Force wife participating in the Officer's Wives Clubs while living in Texas, New Mexico, Germany and Baltimore and later Potomac, Maryland. In 1977, her husband was assigned to Moody AFB, GA and they moved to Valdosta. She became a real estate agent and worked at The Herndon Company and later at Henry Hall Real Estate serving on the Valdosta Board of Realtors during that time. She subsequently became her husband's private practice office manager until he retired in 1996. She was a member of the South Georgia Medical Society Womens Auxillary.

As a member of Christ Episcopal Church of Valdosta, Diane served on the Altar Guild. She had also been a member and secretary of the board of directors of Southeaster Condominium in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. Her interests included reading and she was a member of two reading groups, giving book reviews on occasion. She was an avid bridge player and played with several bridge groups as well as with friends and her husband. She also enjoyed painting, needlepoint and travel. She traveled extensively in Europe with her family while living in Germany and continued travel later including trips to Kenya and South Africa. She enjoyed nature, going on numerous bird watching excursions and especially enjoyed watching wildlife including deer and aquatic birds in her back yard. She loved her family and was thrilled upon hearing that twin grandsons were to arrive one year ago,

Survivors include her husband of 61 years, Dr. Frank T. Corker; daughter Thayer Corker of Cartersville, Georgia; son and daughter-in-law Frank T., Jr. and Patrice Corker of Ellijay, Georgia; son and daughter-in-law Thomas A. and Trista Corker of San Rafael, California; brother David Blankenship of Palm Springs, California; grandson Michael Corker of Smyrna, Georgia; grandson Matthew Corker of Marietta, Georgia; granddaughter and her mother Jourdan and Sherri Corker of San Rafael, California; twin grandsons Tanner and Austin Corker of San Rafael, California and niece Alisa Hinson. She was preceded in death by her granddaughter, Kristen Crowley.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 PM on Saturday, October 15, 2016 at Christ Episcopal Church, 1521 North Patterson Street, Valdosta, Georgia. Rev. David Johnson will officiate and interment will follow the service in the Church Memorial Garden. The family will receive friends and guests at Park Place, 108 West Park Avenue, Valdosta, Georgia, between 5 to 7 PM. on Friday, October 14, 2016. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Christ Episcopal Church, Hospice of South Georgia/Langdale Hospice House or the charity of choice. Condolences may be conveyed online at www.mclanecares.com. Carson McLane Funeral Home is serving the Corker Family.




Funeral Home:
Carson McLane Funeral Home
2215 North Patterson Street
Valdosta, GA
US 31602