Biography

Captain Neil “Buzz” L. Corry was born in Central Falls, Rhode Island in 1938.    He graduated from Hope High School 1956 where he played basketball.  He then graduated from the University of Rhode Island in 1960 and was a member of Phi Mu Delta Fraternity.  He was a member of the URI Lettermen’s Club in Track and Field throwing the shot put.  Neil was the head of URI campus movie theater and was a member of the URI Chorus.  Neil joined ROTC and was a member of the Scabbard and Blade Honor Society.  He graduated as a Distinguished Military Graduate and was commissioned as a Regular Army Second Lieutenant.

2LT Corry attended the Infantry Officer Basic Course, and Airborne School at Fort Benning, GA. In 1961, he served in Korea as a Firing Section Commander and Platoon Leader in the 4th Cavalry Regiment, 1^st Cavalry Division.  Returning to the US, he spent 5 years at Fort Benning as an instructor of special operations at the Infantry School.  Following his release from active duty, he continued to serve in the Reserves, as a Company Commander in Bangor, Maine.  He completed his military service in 1969.  

Neil joined TheMobil Oil Corporation in 1967 as a marketing representative and then in corporate budget operations in various states, the Regional Office in PA, and finally at Mobil Headquarters in Fairfax, VA.  He retired as the Capital Budget Manager for US Marketing Resale in 1996. Throughout his career Neil took advantage of his new locations to engage in community and church programs consistently demonstrating the leadership taught in ROTC and by Army service.  He was a member of the Lion’s Club, and many church choirs.  He served as head Deacon and an Elder in his church.  

Neil’s life revolved around helping children in sports.  While living in Pennsylvania he was a T-ball coach and president of a soccer league.  In VA, he was a soccer referee, trainer and a regular and traveling soccer coach.  He was then elected president of the youth new soccer league.    He was instrumental in getting the National Guard to build a soccer complex in Fairfax County VA.   

Neil was very active in the URI Washington, DC Alumni Chapter for many years and contributed annually to its Alumni Fundraising.  Neil took it upon himself to take the small mailing list of URI alumni provided to him and tirelessly worked to expand it to members from nearby states.  Neil greatly enhanced fund raising allowing for athletic and academic achievement.  

He met Marcia Mackenzie at URI and married her upon his return from Korea.   He has two daughters; Deborah and Martha, a son, Douglas, who died in 1991.   Neil distinguished himself as the model “citizen soldier” that is the foundation of the ROTC program.  A man who trained as a soldier and businessman, served the nation in the military and then took those leadership skills to serve his family, community and church.  Neil died in 2013.