Corbett Moore Batchelor, 91, died January 21, 2014 at Vidant Health and Hospice in Greenville after a very short stay.
A graveside service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, January 24, 2014 at Sunnyside Cemetery in Scotland Neck. Parker Philips will be presiding.
The family will receive friends after the service at the cemetery.
The family would like to thank everyone that cared for Daddy; each of you that made him smile and his blue eyes twinkle. He will be greatly missed.
Corbett was born in Bethel on August 24, 1922 to the late Jarvis Dunn Batchelor and Dora Moore Batchelor. As a youth of 19, he joined the U.S. Navy on October 10, 1941 and was ordered to Basic Naval Training at the N.O.B. in Norfolk, VA. With the outbreak of World War II, he served two years at Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn, NY. There he received training in the ground crew as an aviation mechanic in a Scouting Squadron as a flight engineer on a Martin P.B.M. Flying Boat. After some Atlantic Coast Duty, the Squadron was transferred to the Pacific and began operations based in the Philippines. Their missions were shipping along the coastal cities of mainland China and the coasts of Taiwan. For these highly dangerous and successful duties, mainly undertaken in the darkness of night, the entire crew was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (D.F.C.), the Air Medal, as well as the U.S. Navy Unit Citation. With the cessation of active hostilities, Corbett returned home and married Margaret Marie Ayers, “The Girl Next-Door”, on October 29, 1945 in Baltimore, MD. Margaret Ayers, who was then a Cadet Nurse at Baltimore General Hospital, was a childhood friend and neighbor from Bethel. She wrote to him often during the War and sent him cookies. The last two years of his Naval Duty were spent as an Instructor at the Naval Air Technical Training Station in Memphis, TN. Discharged from the Naval Service in October 1947, he returned home with his wife, Margaret. After purchasing a farm at Brazwell’s Crossroads in Palmyra, he applied for employment with Winfield Chevrolet and was immediately accepted in the Parts Department. He was Parts Manager for 41 years. Corbett was a devoted member of the First Baptist Church of Scotland Neck and served as a deacon for many years. He will be remembered for his faith in Jesus Christ, which is how he and Margaret raised their family and lived their lives.
Corbett was preceded in death by his wife, Margaret Ayers Batchelor; his daughter, Elizabeth Carol Batchelor; his sisters, Annie Sue Padgett and Peggy James; and his brothers; Cecil Batchelor and Martin Batchelor.
Corbett is survived by his daughters; Shirley B. Acree and husband James of Carrollton, VA, Janet B. Parker and husband Mark of Wendell, and Sybil B. Howard of Scotland Neck; three grandchildren, Joel C. Acree and wife Renea of Smithfield, VA. Jan L. Ledermann and husband Michael of Matthews, and Jamie “Lani” Acree-Cowan and husband Bruce of Carrollton, VA; eight great grandchildren, Lauren Acree, Brendan Acree, Channing Acree, Skyler Acree, Shelby Ledermann, Emily Ledermann, Michael Ledermann and Heather Cowan; his sisters-in-law, Mary Louise Batchelor of Tarboro, Doris A. Keel of Youngsville, and Frances A. Buck of Conetoe; and his brother-in-law, Richard Harrell of Tarboro.
Arrangements are being handled by Letchworth Funeral Home in Scotland Neck.