Valmond "Val" Francis Corbie

Valmond Francis Corbie was born in Belmont, Port of Spain, Trinidad on June 4, 1929. He was the third of eight children born to Norman and Hilda Corbie. Val enjoyed cricket in the warm island sun with his brothers Ollie, Frank, Theldon, and LeRoy. Val also took pleasure in a close and loving relationship with his three sisters, Merles, Deanna and his “favorite” sister, Sheila. He has always been a loyal and committed family man, taking regular family vacations to Mayaro, Trinidad where he would hand churn his favorite barbardine flavored ice cream and eat his fill of island fruits, like soursop, mango Julie or mango Starch and persimmons – these being amongst his favorites.

Inspired by a divine premonition, Val left Trinidad at the age of 19 to work in the engine room of a merchant sailing vessels. While he visited many far-off lands, his work was interrupted due to gallbladder pains/attacks, which landed him in the hospital back in Trinidad. It was there, recuperating in the hospital, he first laid his eyes on the love of his life, his hospital nurse, Aileen Guy. The two later wed in England on December 16, 1962. Their first child, Roxanne Corbie was born shortly thereafter. Although she lived a brief six months, she was well loved by Val and Aileen and upon her passing she was sent home to Trinidad to rest. Val and Aileen immigrated to the United States in the early 1960’s, and with just $10.00 left after burying their first child, they began their life together. First residing in an apartment in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, then purchasing their first home on East 53rd Street Brooklyn, where they were blessed with four more children, Giselle, Simone, Ronald, and Danielle.

Val and Aileen's home could be recognized by his family's loud laughter, religious discussions, academic debates, delicious foods that he prepared with love, aunts, uncles, grands, cousins, and extended family were all welcomed at his table.  He enjoyed watching soccer matches- cheering for Chelsea, cricket games, old western movies with plenty “action”, and television cooking shows.

While Val enjoyed his vacationing and spending time with family and friends, he was a firm believer in working and would often reiterate the Bible verse, II Thessalonians 3:10, “If a man will not work, he shall not eat.”  For more than 30 years, he worked the third shift in the train yard of the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

Val’s work ethic did not stop there; he often got off work at 6:00 a.m. and would exercise faithfully with his running club at Marine Park in Brooklyn. Men like Don, Holness, Tony Donnawa, Lennox, Mr. Brooks and Hugh Farina make up some of Val’s best friends.

Always industrious and hardworking, in retirement, Val and Aileen chose to relocate to Harlingen, Texas, where the climate and palm trees reminded him of Trinidad. This is where he began, as he would call it, his second life, and he satisfied his interest in real estate by renovating and managing properties in Rio Grande Valley, Texas.

With a strong and deeply ingrained foundation of family, several of his sisters and brothers joined Val to retire in Harlingen, Texas. In Harlingen, Val shared a true friendship with Roland, Steve, and Pablo Martinez.

Val attended Catholic church services, where he found his church home at St. Anthony’s. Val’s faith in God was a dominant and defining factor throughout his life and was demonstrated by his caring and helping of family, friends, and strangers alike.

He leaves a behind a significant, and substantial legacy to his wife, Aileen Corbie; their children, Giselle (Dwayne) Corbie, Simone Stewart, Ronald (Bernadette) Corbie, Danielle Corbie Archey; his grandchildren, Akil, Noble, Ajani, Aydan, Mosi, Asha, Lauren, Micah and Triston; his brothers, Theldon “Sam” and LeRoy, and a host of nephews and nieces and friends. He is preceded in death by his daughter, Roxanne, and his siblings, Merle, Sheila, Frank, Deanna, Ollie.

The Corbie family will receive relatives and friends Friday, June 17, 2022 beginning at 4:00 p.m. at Buck Ashcraft San Benito Funeral Home, 1400 W. Business 77, San Benito, Texas. A recitation of the Holy Rosary will follow at 7:00 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Saturday, June 18, 2022 at 1:00 p.m. at St. Anthony Catholic Church. Interment will follow at Restlawn Memorial Park in La Feria.

In lieu of flowers, you are invited to make a memorial donation to the American Cancer Society in Val Corbie’s name.

Click the link below to view a live-stream of the recitation of the Holy Rosary