Gay Corte

Gay Elizabeth May Rockwood Corte, age 85, passed away on Tuesday, February 21. She was born May 19, 1937, in Grey Lynn, a suburb of Auckland, New Zealand. She attended St. Francis Catholic School until moving to Hillsdale, Michigan in 1946. She graduated from Hillsdale High School, attended Hillsdale College for two years as a music major and graduated from Miami University, Oxford, Ohio in Elementary Education. She received her Master of Arts in Elementary Education from the University of West Florida in 1989.

She is survived by sister, Jan Guzman (Gary) of Ormond Beach, Florida; sons, John Corte (Michelle) of Rahway, New Jersey, Jim Corte (Colleen) of Yardley, Pennsylvania, and Jeff Corte (Sherri) of Fairhope, Alabama; nephew, Jason Guzman and niece, Cary Guzman Park (Ryan); grandchildren, Jessica, Alexis, Mary Grace, Michael, William, and Elizabeth.

She is predeceased by parents, Richard and Inez Rockwood and sister Marie Rockwood.

She taught school for thirty years which included Ormond Beach, FL, a year in Puerto Rico and a year in France at United States Military Based Schools, Holly Hill and Cocoa Beach, FL. Her last 19 years were spent at Gulf Breeze Elementary as a teacher and a primary specialist. She retired from teaching in 1997 to care for her parents and older sister.

Her faith was very important to her, and she was an active member of St. Ann’s Catholic Church in a variety of ways. She often attended daily mass, was St. Ann’s Community of Praise prayer group leader for several years. She was the piano accompanist for many years as well as at the Catholic Charismatic Conferences until she stepped down because of health issues. She later returned to play violin for them when her health allowed it. Music has always been important to her and she was able to play violin with the Pensacola Symphony from 1991 to 2002.

She moved to Fairhope, AL from Gulf Breeze, FL in September 2017 to be closer to family. She was a member of St. Lawrence Catholic Church in Fairhope and played violin with the Life Teen Choir.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to St. Ann Catholic Church, Gulf Breeze, FL 32561 or St. Lawrence Catholic Church in Fairhope, AL 36532