David Neil McCorkle

It is with profound sadness and a tremendous sense of loss that David Neil McCorkle’s children announce his sudden death on July 15, 2026, at his home in Rocky Hill, CT. He was 76 years old. David was born in Montpelier, Vermont, to Helen S. (Jelinek) and Ronald E. McCorkle in 1949. The family soon returned to Connecticut and established their nursery business, McCorkle Perennials, on acreage at their home on Washington Road in Cromwell. David graduated from Cromwell High School in 1967 and became an employee of the CT Department of Transportation. He attended the University of Connecticut, earning his degree in civil engineering, fulfilling his childhood aspiration of becoming an engineer. He retired from his position of Transportation Planner II in 2003, after 34 years with the CT DOT.David (Dave) was truly one-of-a-kind. He was cerebral, analytical, fastidious, and his vast intellect was complemented by his generous spirit. He spent his retirement watching his beloved New York Yankees, sharing meals with his family, playing Scrabble with his grandchildren, collecting and reading books, frequenting Mitchell’s Coffee House, and enjoying his favorite music from the 1960s and 1970s, especially Bob Dylan. He had a wealth of knowledge and was known to willingly share an idiom or adage for any situation. He was a constant source of strength for his immediate family, reminding his children and grandchildren that he “was never more than a phone call away”.He diligently supported a multitude of charities, specifically those benefiting children, animals, veterans, and civil liberties. Dave was headstrong and determined. He survived being hit by a car in 1966, which resulted in a coma for ten days and permanent physical alterations, as well as overcoming the odds of several medical diagnoses in his adult life.He is survived by his son, Michael J. McCorkle, and his daughter, Michelle A. McCorkle-Milardo, her husband Joseph Milardo, and their children, Sophia and Alexander. His nephew, Christopher Ruske and family of Millville, NJ, and nieces Jennifer (Bitters) Rust and Katherine Bitters-Schwarz and their families of Anchorage, AK. His first cousin, Jane Schukoske, of Arlington, VA, as well as several other cousins and their families.He is predeceased by his wife, Roseann, his parents, and his two sisters, Margaret Ruske and Roberta Bitters.Calling hours will be held on Thursday, August 6, 2026, from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm at The D’Angelo Funeral Home, 22 South Main Street, Middletown, CT. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating in David’s memory to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or The ACLU.