John "Jack" Nathan Corman

(September 5, 1951 – October 23, 2021)

Though Jack was born in Woodstock and lived in a variety of places as a youth, he was ultimately a true son of Fort Valley, born of two great families whose roots both reached back to the earliest settlement of this region.

As a young man, he returned to the last parcel of his family's land, which had been held by his family since long before the Civil War, to carefully build an authentic log cabin by hand, using the ancient methods that were developed by his Appalachian ancestors centuries ago. He lived in that cabin in the woods for some years, before falling in love with a woman from the west coast named Joan. That moment changed his life, and he subsequently built a new house for her and their three children on that same parcel of land, ensuring that the long legacy of his family would not disappear from Fort Valley. He supported his family by working for the United States Forest Service for 36 years, which allowed him to both work and play in the Appalachian wilderness that he loved so dearly.

Jack was not only a highly educated man, who held an esteemed degree in forestry from Virginia Polytechnic Institute, but more importantly, he was also a gentle and decent man, who raised his children to understand the difference between right and wrong. He was a very Christian man, who believed in the old time religion passed down through his family for generations. Now, as he lays in rest, no one who knew him can think of a single dishonorable thing that he ever said or did – indeed, he is responsible for literally saving at least several people by leading them down the path of righteousness when they were previously heading in the wrong direction. There can be no greater accomplishment in a man's life than that.

His passing is preceded by his father, Nathan Harold Corman, and his mother, Ruth Ellen Coverston, as well as his brother, Thomas Howard Corman. He is survived by his loving wife, Joan Corman, his daughter, Elizabeth Jordan, his two sons, Eric and Jake Layman, and grandchildren, Noah Jordan, Nathan Jordan, and Airi Layman, as well as his son-in-law, Chris Jordan, and his daughter-in-law, Kazue Layman, and his lifelong friend Elmore Hartman. Pallbearers include Jake Layman, Eric Layman, Christopher Jordan, Jim Coverston, John Coleman, and Elmore Hartman .

A funeral service for Jack Corman will be held on Wednesday, the 27th of October at the Dry Run Church on Fort Valley Road. The visitation will be held at 11am and the service will begin at noon. He will be buried at the Charles Emerson Walters Cemetery, in Fort Valley, surrounded by many of his old friends, relatives, and neighbors.  Afterwards, a celebration of life will be held at the pavilion of the Trinity Brethren Church, on Dry Run Road, which was his mother's church where he himself was married.

Although now deceased, Jack Corman will live on for many years here on Earth in the hearts and minds of the numerous people whose lives he touched and improved by his own example. Furthermore, there can be no doubt that he is now among the angels of Heaven, as a loving son of God.

You may sign the guestbook and submit condolences to the family online at www.stoverfuneralhome.com.

Stover Funeral Home and Crematory, Strasburg, VA is serving the family of John "Jack" Nathan Corman.