James Robert CORGAN

(b. 09/22/1930 , Iron Mountain, Michigan, USA d. 09/14/2008 , Muskegon, Michigan, USA )
Age: 77

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James Robert CORGAN was born 09/22/1930 in Iron Mountain, Michigan, USA

James Robert CORGAN was the child of James Andrew CORGAN and Eileen Esther KOSKI and the grandchild of: (paternal) Harry Robert CORGAN and Elsie Maria Elizabeth HALTER (maternal) Matti William KOSKI and Serafiija Vienna HIETAKANGAS

Spouse(s)/Partner(s) and Child(ren):

James Robert married Frances Lorraine GARDNER 22 July 1950 in Muskegon, Michigan, USA . The couple had (at least) 1 child.
Frances Lorraine GARDNER was born 02/06/1931 in Muskegon, Michigan, USA. Frances Lorraine died 03/09/2005 in Grand Haven, Michigan, USA. Frances Lorraine was the child of Floyd Loren GARDNER and Goldie Irene COLE.

James Robert CORGAN died 09/14/2008 in Muskegon, Michigan, USA.

His cremains rest on private family land.

photo/ portrait (above) from familysearch.org

Details of the family tree of James appear below.

Occupation

James Robert CORGAN was a Business Owner, Auto Mechanic.

Family and Children of James Robert CORGAN

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James Robert CORGAN married

Frances Lorraine GARDNER-- Date: 22 July 1950 Place: Muskegon, Michigan, USA
Frances Lorraine GARDNER was the child of Floyd Loren GARDNER and Goldie Irene COLE

Children of James Robert CORGAN and Frances Lorraine GARDNER:

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Discovering the Ancestry of James Robert CORGAN: Events, Photos & Historical Records

1930 Birth
09/22/1930
Iron Mountain, Michigan, USA

1931 - The paper towel is invented (Arthur Scott, United States)

1931 - March 3 – The Star-Spangled Banner is adopted as the United States National anthem.

1933 - Franklin D. Roosevelt becomes President of the United States

1933 - December 5 – The 21st Amendment to the United States Constitution is passed, repealing Prohibition

1934 - The metal beverage can is invented (American Can Co., United States)

1935 - The snowmobile was invented by Joseph Bombardier (Quebec, Canada)

1935 - August 14 – United States President Franklin Roosevelt signs the Social Security Act into law

1938 - The ballpoint pen is invented (Lazlo Biro, Hungary)

1938-1944 - Sunscreen is invented (Franz Greiter, Switzerland and Benjamin Green, United States)

1938 - October 27 - Du Pont announces a name for its new synthetic yarn: nylon.

1940 - April - 1st electron microscope demonstrated (RCA), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

1941 - December 8 - (the day after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor) United States declares war on Japan (WW2)

1944 - D-Day, which occurred on June 6, 1944, was a pivotal World War II operation where Allied forces launched a massive invasion on the beaches of Normandy, France. Known as Operation Overlord, it involved over 156,000 troops from the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and other Allied nations. The operation aimed to liberate Western Europe from Nazi German control. The landings marked the beginning of the end for Nazi Germany, leading to the eventual Allied victory in Europe.

1945 - The atomic bomb is invented (J. Robert Oppenheimer, et al., United States)

The microwave oven was invented accidentally in 1945 by Percy Spencer, a Raytheon engineer. While testing a magnetron, he noticed microwaves melted a candy bar in his pocket. Experimenting further, he discovered microwaves could cook food quickly. Raytheon patented the process, and by 1947, they built the first commercial microwave oven, called the 'Radarange.' Initially used in commercial settings, microwaves becomes affordable for home use by the 1960s and 1970s, revolutionizing cooking.

1945 - Harry S. Truman becomes President of the United States

1945 - On September 2, 1945, World War II officially ended with the formal surrender of Japan. The surrender ceremony took place aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay, where Japanese officials signed the Instrument of Surrender in the presence of Allied representatives, including General Douglas MacArthur and Admiral Chester Nimitz.

1948 - Velcro is invented (George de Mestral, Switzerland)

1950 Marriage / Partner
James Robert CORGAN and Frances Lorraine GARDNER 22 July 1950, Muskegon, Michigan, USA

He was 19 years old.

1950 - June 25 - Korean War begins when North Korean forces invade South Korea.

1953 - Dwight D. Eisenhower becomes President of the United States

1953 - On July 27, 1953, the Korean War ended with the signing of an armistice agreement at Panmunjom. This ceasefire halted the conflict between North Korea, supported by China and the Soviet Union, and South Korea, backed by United Nations forces primarily from the United States. The agreement established the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) near the 38th parallel, effectively maintaining the pre-war boundary and creating a buffer zone between the two Koreas.

1961 - John F. Kennedy becomes President of the United States

1961 - Vietnam War officially begins with 900 military advisors landing in Saigon.

1962 - The Cuban Missile Crisis was a tense 13-day standoff in October 1962 between the United States and the Soviet Union over the installation of Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba, just 90 miles from the U.S. coast. The crisis is considered the closest the Cold War came to escalating into a full-scale nuclear war. It began when American spy planes discovered the missiles, leading to a U.S. naval blockade of Cuba and intense negotiations. The crisis ended when Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev agreed to remove the missiles in exchange for the U.S. promising not to invade Cuba and secretly agreeing to remove American missiles from Turkey.

1963 - I Have a Dream Speech - Martin Luther King's Address at March on Washington August 28, 1963.

In 1963, on November 22, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas, while riding in a motorcade through Dealey Plaza. The assassination shocked the nation and the world, leading to widespread mourning and a period of intense national introspection. Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn in as the 36th President of the United States shortly after Kennedy's death. The assassination sparked numerous conspiracy theories and investigations, with the Warren Commission ultimately concluding that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone in the assassination. Kennedy's death had a profound impact on American politics and society, marking the end of an era often referred to as 'Camelot.'

1968 - The ATM is invented (Don Wetzel, United States)

1969 - Richard M. Nixon becomes President of the United States

1969 - July 20 - Apollo 11 - Man lands on the moon

June 17, 1972 – August 9, 1974 - Watergate Scandal began with the break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C., in 1972. Members of President Richard Nixon's administration attempted to cover up their involvement. The scandal led to the discovery of multiple abuses of power by the Nixon administration, the resignation of President Nixon in 1974, and the indictment of several administration officials.

1973 - January 22 - Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 and Doe v. Bolton, 410 U.S. 179: The U.S. Supreme Court declares that the Constitution protects women’s right to terminate an early pregnancy, thus making abortion legal in the U.S.

1973 - March 29 - The last United States soldier leaves Vietnam

The cell phone was invented by Martin Cooper of Motorola. On April 3, 1973, he made the first handheld mobile phone call with the Motorola DynaTAC. This device weighed 2.5 pounds and was 10 inches long, offering 30 minutes of talk time and requiring 10 hours to charge. The first commercial cell phone was released in 1983, revolutionizing communication and leading to the modern smartphones we use today.

1974 - Gerald R. Ford becomes President of the United States after the resignation of Richard Nixon.

1977 - Jimmy Carter becomes President of the United States

The 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens in Washington State occurred on May 18, triggered by a 5.1 magnitude earthquake. It caused the largest landslide in recorded history, followed by a massive lateral blast. The eruption killed 57 people, destroyed 250 homes, and spread ash across the U.S.

1981 - Ronald Reagan becomes President of the United States

1981 - June 5 - First reported case of AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome)

1982 - The camcorder is invented (Sony Corp., Japan)

1983 - The laptop computer is invented (Radio Shack Corp., United States)

1986 - January 28 - Space Shuttle Challenger accident - The Space Shuttle Challenger disaster occurred on January 28, 1986, when the shuttle broke apart 73 seconds into its flight, leading to the deaths of its seven crew members.

1989 - The World Wide Web is invented at CERN (Tim Berners-Lee, UK)

1989 - George H. W. Bush becomes President of the United States

1993 - William J. Clinton becomes President of the United States

2001 - George W. Bush becomes President of the United States

2001 - September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Coordinated terrorist attacks by the extremist group al-Qaeda on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, leading to significant changes in U.S. domestic and foreign policy, including the War on Terror.

2005 Death of Spouse/Partner
Frances Lorraine GARDNER died 03/09/2005, Grand Haven, Michigan, USA

Obituary
James (Jim) Corgan passed away September 14, 2008, surrounded by family.

Jim was born September 22, 1930, in Iron Mountain, Michigan. Spending his childhood in the Upper Peninsula imbued him with a lifelong love and respect for nature, which he shared with his family. Jim was happiest riverside by a campfire with his best friend and wife, Frances. Jim and Fran brought up their twelve children hiking into waterfalls, camping, canoeing, fishing, hunting, swimming, and roasting marshmallows.

Jim's life-long career in the auto industry started in auto racing where he was known by his moniker, 'Gentleman Jim.' Later, Jim was general manager and service manager at a number of dealerships in West Michigan. He was also owner/ operator of several service stations and Corgan Garage in Muskegon.

Jim's family was his life and among them he was known as a great storyteller, gentle patriarch, huggable grandpa, and generous spirit. An avid reader and student of history, Jim passed on his...Read MORE...

2008 Death
09/14/2008
Muskegon, Michigan, USA

He died at the age of 78.

Added: 6/12/2017 2:55:19 PM - Updated: 11/1/2025 3:50:20 PM