Corinne "Corkey" (Porter) Maclaskey, 94, of rural Gridley, Kansas, passed away at her beloved  home on Sunday morning, February 14, 2021.

She was born July 13, 1926, in Reece, Kansas, the daughter of John and Sadie Viola (Gray) Porter. She was the youngest of twelve children. After graduating from high school in Virgil, Kansas, she attended Kansas State Teachers College and went on to teach school in a one room rural school for one year.

On April 28, 1945, she and James A. "Jim" Maclaskey were married in Emporia, Kansas,  and together they had five children. She helped her husband run his business in the oil industry and they raised their children in the Virgil/Gridley area.

Corinne had a passion for her family, her home, nature, and her country. She found something good in every day and loved watching the wildlife from her sunroom window. Her spirit and love of life never left her. Her love of her country home and family made every day a  treasure.

She was preceded in death by her parents, John and Viola; her husband, Jim Maclaskey; two sons, Tom and Jack Maclaskey; a great-grandson, Micah Hurr; and eleven siblings, Sisters: Leona Clark, Alice Crotts, Lucille Linn, Erma Wallace, Thelma Thompson, and Hazel Schadegg,  brothers: Wilmer and Elmer Porter (twins), John Porter, Art Porter, and Earl Porter.

She leaves behind three children, Peggy (Tom) Palmer of Topeka, Kansas, Mike (Diana) Maclaskey of Auburn, Kansas, Charlie (Evelyn) Maclaskey of Gridley, Kansas, a daughter-in-law,    Kaye Maclaskey of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and a daughter-in-law Carol Maclaskey of Gridley, Kansas; ten grandchildren; thirty-three great-grandchildren; one great great granddaughter, two step grandchildren, four step great grandchildren, one step great great granddaughter,  a special niece, Cindy (Bill) Gulick; and many other nieces and nephews.

Her words about living her life were: "I hope my children will be able to go out in the world, be happy, and reach for their dreams, may they come true. As for me, I plan to make my home here, walk on my own land, sit on the porches, and look at the sunset, watch the moon come up and be prepared for the change of seasons. I can go barefoot if I want to and no one will  care. I pray this will be my destiny." She was blessed to live that destiny.

Private graveside services will be Saturday, February 20, 2021, at the Virgil Cemetery, Virgil, Kansas. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Hand in Hand Hospice or St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital and may be sent in care of Jones Funeral Home, P.O. Box 277, Burlington, KS 66839.