Biography:

Dr. Charles Ray McCorvie was born in Chatham, Ontario on the 10th of July, 1896.  Dr. McCorvie was the youngest of 4 children born to John McCorvie and the former Maggie McLaren.  His father ran a grocery store and his siblings were; Wilfred McCorvie, Lily Belle McCorvie and Edward John McCorvie.  Dr. McCorvie attended school in Chatham, graduating from Chatham Collegiate Institute, prior to attending university.

Private Charles Ray McCorvie served 3 years with the 24th Kent Regiment, Ambulance Corps and trained with the Chatham Collegiate Institute Cadets.  On the 5th of October, 1917 he enlisted in the Canadian Army Medical Corp during WWI.  He was a medical student at the time of his enlistment.  Dr. McCorvie listed his mother Margaret McCorvie, 146 Joseph Street in Chatham as his next-of-kin.  He was described as 5’5″ tall, with light brown eyes, fair hair and a fair complexion.  He was discharged from service on the 18th of January, 1919, due to demobilization.

After the war, Dr. McCorvie returned to university and graduated M.B. in 1921 from The University of Toronto School of Medicine.  Dr. McCorvie practiced medicine in the Chatham area as late as 1924.

Dr. McCorvie married Eva Maud Amanda Miller on the 9th of November, 1925 in Sunderland, Ontario.  Mrs. McCorvie was born on the 10th of November, 1895.  She was the 7th of 8 children born to Samuel Miller and the former Dinah Belinda Switzer.  Her parents were farmers and her siblings were; John Wesley Miller, Tobias Cunningham Miller, Hannah Mary Elizabeth Miller, Margaret Candace Miller, Annie Ada Miller, Katherine Belinda Miller, Edna Louise Pearl Miller.  Sadly, her mother died on the 16th of April, 1900 when she was just 4 years old.  At the time of their marriage, Mrs. McCorvie was a stenographer and resided at 103 Wright Ave. in Sunderland.  Dr. McCorvie listed his address on the marriage certificate as 129 East Grand River in East Lansing, Michigan.

Dr. and Mrs. McCorvie were the parents of 2 sons.  Donald Ray McCorvie was born on the 17th of February, 1927 and John McCorvie was born on the 9th of January, 1933 and died the same day.

Dr. McCorvie and his son Donald both served with the United States Armed Services during WWII.

In 1942, Dr. McCorvie and his family resided at 216 Oakland Drive in East Lansing, Michigan.  His medical practice was located at 129 East Grand River Avenue.  According to the 1953 Lansing Michigan City Directory, Dr. and Mrs. McCorvie resided at 1245 West Grand River Avenue.

Dr. McCorvie was a member of the Ingham County Medical Society, the Michigan Medical Society and the American Medical Society.  He belonged to the East Lansing Masonic Lodge.

In an article published in the Miami Herald on the 20th of April, 1946, Dr. C. Ray McCorvie caught a 97.5 pound white marlin in the Metropolitan Miami Fishing Tournament.  Dr. McCorvie informed the tournament director that it was the first time that he had tried ocean fishing and he was going to have the fish mounted.

Dr. McCorvie retired from the practice of medicine in 1967 and he and his wife moved to Port Charlotte, Florida.

Mrs. McCorvie died in Port Charlotte, Florida on the 5th of October, 1975.  Dr. McCorvie died on the 11th of September, 1979 in Lansing, Michigan.  Dr. and Mrs. McCorvie were buried at Restlawn Memorial Gardens in Port Charlotte, Florida.

* Dr. McCorvie appears on the Gathering Our Heroes website.  Dr. McCorvie’s brother, Edward John McCorvie also appears on the website.  Dr. Edward John McCorvie, graduated M.B. from The University of Toronto School of Medicine in 1914.  He practiced medicine in Peoria, Illinois.  

**Dr. McCorvie’s son, Dr. Donald Ray McCorvie (1927-2012) practised medicine in Lansing, Michigan.  He graduated from The University of Toronto School of Medicine in 1954.