Dr. James Evans Corthay, D.D.S. M.S.

James Evans Corthay, D.D.S. M.S. August 25, 1922 – October 15, 2016 Dr. James Corthay, Naval Aviator and Periodontist, age 94, passed away October 15, 2016.  He was born Virgil James Evans, the only son of Virgil Evans and Esther Iverson, in Ogden, Utah.  When he was very young, the marriage between his father and mother dissolved (later divorced), and Esther and James moved to San Francisco, California.  His mother, Esther, was later remarried to Louis Corthay. In 1940, James assumed the surname: Corthay. James, a penniless, Depression Era teenager and self-made professional, began his journey by joining the Navy in 1942, at the onset of World War II. He soloed as a Naval Aviator that same year.  Altogether, he served four combat tours in the Pacific as co-pilot/pilot of long-range patrol bombers, flying missions over the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, and China.  The Japanese shot down his aircraft over coastal China in 1945, and with the aid of Nationalist Chinese troops, he was able to evacuate other crash survivors to safety.  He earned the Silver Star and the Purple Heart for his heroism. After the war, James joined the Naval Reserve as a “weekend-warrior” aviator and began his academic career in Dentistry.  With the onset of the Korean War, James was called back to active duty. He served two combat tours in Korea, flying the same long-range patrol bombers, supporting Marine night-fighter pilots over North Korea.  After the war, James transitioned to Naval Dentistry and soon married Hazel Zella Sims.  In the 1960s, James continued his Naval career serving multiple West Pacific tours aboard the USS Hancock (CVA) as Dental Department head; later, while serving at the Bethesda Naval Medical center, James earned his doctorate from Georgetown University specializing in Periodontics. James retired from the Navy as a full Commander in 1971. Now with two children, James followed his passion for dentistry by opening a private Periodontal practice in Jacksonville, North Carolina, which he maintained until 1984. James was an active and accomplished man. An avid sailor, golfer, and alpine skier, he also continued to fly, maintaining a commercial pilot’s license late into his adult life and conducting Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) flight clinics across the USA.  He also developed a love for East Asian cultures as a consequence of the years he spent overseas.   Much later in life, James adopted the name, “Papasan”, a Japanese phrase meaning, “man of authority”; a name of honor, reserved only for his grandchildren.  After his wife, Hazel, fell victim to severe mental illness in the late-1960s, James accepted the role of single parent and strict disciplinarian for his son and daughter.  In this, he led a very private and devoted life. Dr. James E. Corthay is survived by his son, James Corthay II (Kim), granddaughters Justine Rosser (Jeff) and Joelle Corthay, and his daughter Laura Scurry (Don), grandson Dustin Humphrey (Rebecca), granddaughter Lauren Scurry and two great grandsons. A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 25, 2016 at Maplewood Cemetery in Wilson. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the AOPA Foundation (421 Aviation Way, Frederick, MD 21701 or online at http://foundation.aopa.org/). Maintain heading and altitude, Commander.  You’re flying with the Saints now. We will love you always.