Olive O'Neill Webb Corbett (1920-2012)

Olive O'Neill Webb Corbett died Monday, April 9, 2012, in Murrieta, Calif. Olive was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, in 1920, grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, and lived primarily in Meridian from 1942 through 2009, having moved there after her marriage to James L. "Skeeter" Webb.

Olive felt blessed to have grown up in a sports family; her father, Steve O'Neill was in the major leagues for more than 40 years and her husband, Skeeter, for 12 years, including playing shortstop for the 1945 Detroit Tigers World Series champions, a team managed by her father. James J. "Shamus" Corbett, Olive's second husband, was twice the heavyweight boxing champion of the Marine Corps during World War II and later became the most decorated state trooper in the history of the Pennsylvania State Police.


Olive was twice widowed, first by Skeeter's death in 1986 after 42 years of marriage, and later when her second husband, Shamus, died in 1997, after nearly seven years of marriage. Olive lived in Scranton, Pennsylvania, during her marriage to Shamus, who had been her childhood friend and sweetheart. After Shamus' death, Olive returned to Meridian. Olive was a devoted mother and wife, a registered nurse who supervised at three Meridian hospitals, a local radio and television personality during her televised "Miss Broadmoor" series, a strong supporter of the Red Cross, gave much of her time to nursing seminars and several local charities and a longtime performer in Meridian's Little Theatre.

She treasured her many friendships, especially those in Meridian, some of which were fostered in the ladies "Red Hats" program and many others forged during her 40-plus years as a member of St. Patrick's Catholic Church.

Olive was especially passionate about her family, her nursing profession and numerous nursing students and her Catholic faith, through which she was involved in several outreach programs for children and new church members. She died while living with her oldest daughter, Carol Ann Potter, and leaves a void in the lives of her five children (stepsons, James L. Webb Jr. of Slidell, La.; and Steve Corbett of Scranton, Pa., daughter, Carol Ann Potter of Murrieta, Calif.; son, John Robert Webb of Dallas, Texas; and daughter, Pamela Mary Webb Burton of Atlanta, Ga.), fourteen grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren, including extended family members.

Funeral Mass will be held Tuesday, April 17, 2012, at 11 a.m. at St. Patrick's Catholic Church. Burial will follow in Magnolia Cemetery with Barham Funeral Home in charge of arrangements. Visitation will be at the funeral home on Monday, April 16, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hospice of the Valleys, 25240 Hancock Ave., Suite 120, Murrieta, CA 92562.