Elizabeth Anne Corwin

Longtime Southampton resident Elizabeth Anne “Betty” Corwin died on February 24 at the Westhampton Care Center, where she had been residing for the past two and a half years. She was 84.

Born Elizabeth Anne Mills in East Orange, New Jersey, she was the daughter of Edna Olson Mills and Clarence B. Mills. She attended East Orange High School, then received an associate’s degree in education from Columbia University and a bachelor’s degree from Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania. In 1946, at the invitation of family friend Raymond Orts—a longtime principal of Southampton Elementary School—she came to Southampton to teach fourth grade. While staying with the Corwin family, she met Tom Corwin Jr. and the two were married August 27, 1949.

In 1950, Mr. Corwin, who served in the Naval Reserve during World War II, took over the family store, Corwin’s Main Street Jewelers in Southampton. When he was unexpectedly called up for active duty during the Korean conflict in 1951, Mrs. Corwin, pregnant with their first child, had to take over running the jewelry store.

She ran the store from 1951 to 1953, and upon her husband’s return she returned to school for her master’s in education from Long Island University at Southampton College. She went on to teach in special education at Shelter Island, Bridgehampton, Montauk, Amagansett and Tuckahoe schools.

Active in the community, she was an avid member for many years of the First Presbyterian Church of Southampton, where she was a circle leader and a Sunday School teacher. She was a Boy Scout, Girl Scout and Cub Scout leader; a Southampton Hospital volunteer; and president of the Friends of Rogers Memorial Library.

Mrs. Corwin was also an active member of Daughters of the American Revolution and was Grand Matron of the Eastern Star, Ashawagh Chapter, as well as Grand Representative to Saskatchewan, Canada.

She is survived by a son, Timothy G. Corwin and his wife Toni Lea of Southampton; a daughter, Elizabeth Jill and her husband Jerry Crews of Virginia; three grandsons, Jeffrey, Travis and Jonathon; and two granddaughters, Tamara and Karianne; and a great-grandson, Cory.

She was predeceased by a son, Jeffrey Corwin, who died at the age of 16 in a motorcycle accident; a daughter, Cynthia Anne Savalli in 2002; and her husband, Thomas Corwin Jr. in 1981.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 14, at 1 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church of Southampton.

In lieu of flowers, donations to the American Heart Association, 1 Union Street, #301, Robbinsville, NJ 08691-4183; the American Diabetes Association Research Foundation, Attn: Individual Giving Department, 1701 North Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311; or the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 102454, Atlanta, GA 30368-2454 would be appreciated by the family.