Corinne M. Sachs

August 22, 1936 — June 6, 2024

Rockford

Born Corinne Gay McCanna just before her twin sister on a very hot August day, to Romana and Edward McCanna, she left us early in the morning on June 6, 2024. The twins’ childhood was well documented by their father EP, including many summer vacations in Lake Mills, Wisconsin. She loved being outdoors and was quite an athlete, she ice skated with her twin sister in local shows, but she felt the most comfortable in the water. In her own words she “enjoyed all water sports, a variety of arts and crafts, and prayer.” She became an avid painter, adding color to everything she could. Corinne attended St James School, Lincoln Middle School, Muldoon High School, Rockford College, and Barry University in Miami, Florida. And later completed the Ministry Formation Program with the Catholic Church.

Corinne married William Thomas Sachs on September 6, 1958 and raised five children. She loved the excitement of travel. Bill and Corinne took several trips — including an epic journey by train to Disneyland in the early 1970s with all five kids, a trip on a houseboat down the Mississippi, a jaunt to the Bahamas, boating along the Keys, a cruise to Alaska, and a trip to the Panama Canal, and lots of camping with the whole family. In her later years Corinne looked forward to her (almost) yearly trip to Los Angeles to visit her daughter Sharon.

Corinne was a deeply spiritual and loving woman. She believed strongly in education and finding your own way, she was always eager to help others — which is evident in the many volunteer positions she held over the decades. She always looked for unique and exciting things to do and was full of creative projects for her kids, which made her a super-fun mom! She even taught art at St. Bernadette’s for awhile. Theirs was always the house the neighbor kids went to, Corinne welcomed them in and probably made them a sandwich.

She was very passionate about her 35 years of work at the YMCA of Rock River Valley, teaching swimming and open-water activities to children and adults. She was a life guard and instructor, and later became the Arthritis Coordinator and helped develop an aquatic exercise program, Joyful Joints, which focused on maintaining and enhancing joint integrity. She was a PADI certified scuba diver; a Red Cross sailing instructor — teaching kids how to sail in the lake behind her house. She swam competitively as a YMCA Masters National swimmer, in the Illinois Masters Swim State Championship, and in the Senior Olympics Champion — taking home several medals over the years. Corinne volunteered with many organizations including teaching pain management and back exercises at the Rock Valley College Center For Learning In Retirement and penning a brochure “Accepting Chronic Pain — A Spiritual Journey” in 2015. Other credits include the Arthritis Foundation Board of Directors, Rockford Memorial Hospital Chaplain, teaching Religious Education to adults at St. Bernadette Catholic Church, work as a St. Bernadette Eucharistic Minister as well as creating handmade religious banners to hang on either side of the altar, Conversi Ministry, and her continued dedication to prayer with the St. Bridget Prayer Group.

She is survived by her husband of 65 years Bill, children Cynthia Marie Sachs, Rockford; Sheila Maureen Sachs, Chicago; Sharon Elaine Sachs, Los Angeles; Michael Thomas Sachs (Nancy Barbieri), Milwaukee; and Edward Matthew Sachs (Amy), Louisville; grandson Dale Sachs-Loomis (Serenity) and great granddaughter Josie Jane. Her three sisters: Colleen Benthal in Rockford, her twin Collette Snydacker in Rockford, and Carmen Willard (Timothy), Fallbrook, CA. And her sister-in-law Joan Dolan and brother-in-law James Sachs (Virginia) plus loads of nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in remembrance of Corinne to any of the following:
YMCA of Rock River Valley, 200 “Y” Blvd, Rockford, IL 61107
St. Bernadette Church, 2400 Bell Avenue, Rockford, IL 61103
Arthritis Foundation, 2400 N Rockton Ave, Rockford, IL 61103

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Visitation

Wednesday, June 12, 2024

10:00 - 11:00 am (Central time)

St. Bernadette Catholic Church

2400 Bell Avenue, Rockford, IL 61103

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