Rose M Corcoran-Smith

Rose Corcoran-Smith was born in Toledo, Ohio to Harold and Martha Corcoran on October 13, 1948 and passed away from pancreatic cancer on April 10, 2024.

She graduated from Central Catholic High School in 1966, received her BS.Ed from the University of Toledo and her Master’s degree in Spanish from BGSU. She then continued her post graduate studies in Alcala, Spain.

In 1979, she married Jim Smith and together they traveled extensively throughout the United States and abroad, visiting friends and family along the way. Traveling was Rose’s passion. In her words: “I have walked the Great Wall of China, dined in the Eiffel Tower, sunbathed on Ipanema Beach in Rio, posed at the Parthenon, held up the Leaning Tower of Pisa, lived in Spain for seven summers, but my greatest joy was returning home to Toledo to my family and friends.”

Rose taught Spanish at Springfield High School, Holland, Ohio for thirty years where she was adored and respected by her students and fellow teachers. Retiring in 2002, she has remained in contact via Facebook with over a thousand of her former students and teacher friends.

In addition to her parents, Rose was preceded in death by her two brothers, Daniel Michael and Robert Dean. Rose is survived by her husband, Jim, her sister Cathy Dyko, sisters-in-law Sharon Corcoran and Diana Corcoran, children by marriage Jeffery Smith and Karen Smith-Zakrajsek, granddaughter Samantha Love, and great-grandson, Oliver Yang.

Special nieces include Christina Seghy, Shannon Corcoran, Carrie Lagger, Kelly Williams, and nephew, Andy Dyko along with numerous great nieces and nephews from both the Corcoran and Smith families and many Godchildren.

Also cherishing her memory are special friends Marcia Ruegsegger, Pauline Wallace, Mary Rosa, Rosemary Mikolajczyk, Mary Jo Dotson and Tim Hood. In addition, she is survived by her Bunco group which originated in 1966 and is still going strong today. Those friends include Cheryl Lawson, Judy Fackler, Pam Dombrowski, Judy Monahan, Kathy Eggenton, Becky Kidd, sister Cathy and Natalie Higgins.

Visitation for Rose will take place on Saturday, April 20th from 12:00-3:00 p.m. with a service immediately following at Walker Funeral Home, 5155 W Sylvania Ave., Toledo, Ohio. A celebration of Rose’s life will take place at a later date.

Donations in Rose’s memory can be made to Blessings in Disguise, c/o John Sayre, 2150 River Rd, Maumee, Ohio 43537.