BIO
John Marvin Cory was born on a farm near Smithland, on 1 January 1923, to Ralph and Margaret (Yockey) Cory. Siblings are Gordon, Elna, and Maurine. Graduated from Smithland in 1940, and attended Wayne State Teacher’s College at Wayne, Nebraska. John liked baseball and basketball.
Attempted to enlist in the Navy in Des Moines after Pearl Harbor. Was convinced he should opt for Officers’ Training program. John left Wayne State College for Peru State Teacher’s College, Peru, Nebraska, to take V12 Navy Officers’ program, July 1943. Then he went to Norfolk, Virginia, then Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois.
Received Ensign’s commission in Chicago, 10 May 1944. Left San Francisco, 21 May 1944, for the South Pacific. John was discharged in January 1946, as a Lieutenant Junior Grade.
Returned to Wayne State College, and graduated, May 1947, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in education. Received a Master’s degree in School Administration in 1963, from the University of South Dakota at Vermillion. He was an educator or an administrator at Oto in Woodbury County; Pilger, Crofton, Wisner, District # 17 in Cuming County, Nebraska.
John married Elaine Fuelberth, 14 May 1944, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Osmond, Nebraska. She died in 1986. One son, John Michael, was born to this marriage. Son, John was born 23 November 1948, and died 24 August 1967. John remarried 6 June 1987, to Helen (Stober) Lukens, in Crofton, Nebraska.
John was a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church, Wisner Veterans of Foreign Wars Post # 5767, Nebraska State Education Association, and the Senior Citizen’s Center, all in Wisner.
John died 29 March 2000, at Mercy Medical Center, in Sioux City. John is buried in the Wisner cemetery.
Submitted by his wife, Helen Cory.
