Harold J "Hal" Corbett
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Rosalie
Obituaries
Vail Daily - July 17, 2005
Harold J. Corbett of Beaver Creek has died
Harold J. Corbett, a retired chemical engineer and longtime resident of Beaver Creek, died Aug. 2 at age 78.
Harold J. “Hal” Corbett, a longtime resident of Beaver Creek, died Aug. 2 after a long battle with cancer. He was 78.
Corbett was born in Vinita, Okla. on July 3, 1927. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and was stationed at Pearl Harbor and in the Philippines.
After his military service, Corbett earned a degree in chemical engineering from the University of Oklahoma. He later earned a masters degree in business from Harvard Business School.
In 1950, Corbett began working in Monsanto’s plastics division in Springfield, Mass, where he held technical and management positions. Corbett helped develop an electronic instrument system for evaluating and matching colors in plastic resins that is still used in the industry today.
While working with Monsanto in Ohio, Corbett helped start and manage the first ABS impact-resistant plastic resin plants in the United States.
Corbett returned to manage the Springfield plant before moving to the company’s headquarters in St. Louis, where he directed manufacturing and general management of the polymer and resin divisions.
Corbett became an executive vice president of Monsanto, responsible for manufacturing, engineering, medicine, safety and environmental health. Corbett retired in 1991 after a 41-year career.
Among the boards Corbett served on are the National Advisory Council for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the American Industrial Health Council (of which he was chairman), Missouri Goodwill Industries (of which he was president), the St. Louis Repertory Theater, Lindenwood University, the National Wildlife Federation and the Keystone Foundation.
Corbett and his wife, Rosalie, became residents of Beaver Creek in 1983 and retired there in 1991. Corbett was active in the community, serving as president of the Beaver Creek Property Owners Association.
Corbett hunted, fished, skied, hiked, snowshoed, biked, played golf and tennis, and did a lot of reading, friends and family members said.
A memorial service will be held at noon, Thursday at the Vail Bible Church, 39209 U.S. Highway 6 in Eagle-Vail. A reception will follow in the church’s Fellowship Hall.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made in memory of Harold J. Corbett to the Cancer Caring House, Shaw Regional Cancer Center, P.O. Box 2559, 322 Beard Creek Road, Edwards, CO 81632.
