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We are saddened to report on the passing, on December 19, of our good friend Gordon Corbett of Yarmouth, Maine, at the age of 79. Gordon authored the book Keeper of the Light, which was primarily about his father Myron’s memories of growing up at a number of Maine lighthouses where Myron’s father, Willie W. Corbett was the lighthouse keeper.
A graduate of the University of Maine, Gordon Corbett spent over three decades teaching elementary science. In 1979, he was named Yarmouth Maine’s Teacher of the Year and Maine’s Teacher of the Year in 1980. He was selected to represent Maine in the NASA astronaut Teacher-In-Space Program. He was one of the finalists of the 11,000 who applied. He and other finalists were at the Kennedy Space Center in January of 1986 for the launch of spacecraft Challenger when it exploded seventy-three seconds after liftoff.
Over the years he presented many science seminars, workshops, and college courses for teachers and others throughout the northeast United States. He created a curriculum development program titled Orbit With Corbett, where he offered such services as science enrichment and storytelling. He said, “The world is made up of many facts, but they don’t make any sense until they are connected by a story.” One of the favorites of his many titled presentations was called Lighthouse Science.
Gordon and his wife, Ruth, volunteered during the restoration of Little River Lighthouse in Cutler, Maine where his grandfather served as a keeper under the United States Lighthouse Service, and later, the U.S. Coast Guard. When Open House events were still being held at the island lighthouse, he could always be found captivating visitors with interesting memories of lighthouse life. Gordon also lent his support by attending many Lighthouse Digest sponsored grave marker ceremonies over the past decade.
Our sincere condolences go out to Gordon Corbett’s wife, Ruth, family members, and his wide circle of friends. He left a legacy that we can all be proud of; he will be dearly missed.
This story appeared in the
Jan/Feb 2021 edition of Lighthouse Digest Magazine. The print edition contains more stories than our internet edition, and each story generally contains more photographs - often many more - in the print edition. For subscription information about the print edition, click here.
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