Steven Garver Corle
Obituaries
The Daily Sentinel page 6C - February 20, 2022
Steven Garver Corle
died February 5, 2022,
of end-stage dementia.
He was 70 years old. At
the end of his life he was
cared for by the staff of the
Grand Junction, Colorado
VA Hospital. Steve’s family would like to recognize
his VA caretakers, and especially the hospice team, for
their extraordinary compassion, skill, and dedication.
Steve was the son of Felix Garver Corle, Jr. and
his wife, Nettie Mae Hubbard Corle. He was born in
Stockton, California, but the family moved to New
Mexico while he was still an infant. He grew up in
Albuquerque, graduated from Del Norte High School in
1969, and immediately reported to Navy boot camp in
San Diego. He trained first as a hospital corpsman and
cared for sailors and marines wounded or injured in the
Viet Nam war. He then trained as a dental technician
and served at Naval Air Station Lemoore in California,
then on the USS Ajax. His last duty assignment was
managing a swimming pool at a Navy base in Japan.
Steve left the Navy in 1973 as a Petty Officer Second
Class (E5). He attended the University of New Mexico
and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in
civil engineering. He began his engineering career at a
Texas Utilities lignite mine in east Texas, then worked
on airport and water line projects in New Mexico and on
research and development projects for an Albuquerque
firm. In the early 1990s he moved to Grand Junction,
Colorado to help with UMTRA (Uranium Mill Tailings
Removal Act) projects.
He was a licensed Civil Engineer and earned an MBA
from Tulane University, graduating with honors. While
in Grand Junction he worked as an UMTRA project
manager. He was particularly proud of the cleanup
of Watson Island, which was challenging due to its
commingled radiological and chemical wastes and its
proximity to the Colorado River.
After leaving Grand Junction Steve worked for the
Army Corps of Engineers. He had assignments at Fort
Wainwright in Fairbanks, Alaska, and at the Corps’
state headquarters in Anchorage. He also worked on
the initial responses to Hurricane Katrina’s devastation
in New Orleans and on Corps projects in southwest
Texas, facilitating contract negotiations for the Corps
of Engineers.
In his late fifties Steve suffered a head injury in
a bicycle accident and was no longer able to practice
engineering. He spent his time exploring the back
country of the American West, especially Colorado,
Utah and New Mexico, until he was no longer able.
Steve was not just an engineer. He was adventurous, he
loved children and dogs, and he contributed his talents
and skills to charitable causes, including the Special
Olympics and Big Brother. As a teenager he volunteered
at hospitals in Albuquerque. From childhood he loved
everything outdoors – he fished, hunted, skied, canoed,
boated, backpacked, camped, and explored everything
within sight. He also toured much of Japan while
stationed there, and traveled to Africa, Europe and Viet
Nam as well.
Steve is survived by his sister, Gayle Corle-Green;
her two children, Damon and Adrin; Adrin’s partner,
Shawn Kasehagen, and their two children, Stavia and
Corbin Kasehagen. He is also survived by his brother,
Greg, and Greg’s wife, Susan; their children, Sam and
Nathan; Nathan’s wife, Ashley, and their children,
Hayden Mae and Addie; and Sam’s son, Peyson. He left
behind a large extended family, too, in New Mexico and
Colorado.
Steve will be buried at sea, as he requested. Plans
for a memorial service will be announced later.
Remembrances may be directed to the Special
Olympics.
