David D. Corliss

The funeral Mass will held at 11:00am on Friday, October 22 at The Holy Family of Nazareth Church, 750 Union St., Leominster. Burial will be in St. Bernard’s Cemetery in Fitchburg. There are no calling hours.



David D. Corliss, 85, of Largo, Florida and former proud resident of Leominster, MA, passed away peacefully in Sable Palms Care Center on September 25, 2021. He was born July 30, 1936 in Leominster, MA, son of Richard Corliss and Alice (O’Connell) Corliss of Leominster, MA. He was predeceased by his loving wife Carolyn (Clark) Corliss in 2011. He graduated from Leominster High School in 1954. After graduation he proudly served in the United States Navy stationed in the Commandant, Naval District, in Washington, DC from 1955 to 1961. He served on the US Navy destroyer the USS Robert H. McCard. After his enlistment ended he became a member of the US Naval Reserves. During his time in the Navy he often served as a driver for Generals and other VIPs in both Washington, DC and Cuba. He will be deeply missed by his three sons Kevin Corliss of Gardner, MA, Mark Corliss of Leominster, MA, Christopher Ashe (Kim) of Cherry Valley, MA, and by his daughter Lisa Marie Bakstran (Brian) of Leominster, MA. David was a loving and doting Papa/Grampie/Grampa and will be sadly missed by his grandchildren Jennifer Pigott (Brett), David Ashe, Morgan Nicole Bakstran, Jillian Corliss, Joseph Corliss, Jessica Richards, Julie Kilbury, Jared Gove, Justin Gove, Andrew Corliss, Jonathan Corliss and Nicole Corliss. He loved hearing about his grandchildren’s adventures, told them to “Live your life to the fullest” and ended each phone conversation with “Love you”. He leaves behind his brothers Richard Corliss (Mary) of Leominster, MA, and Michael Corliss (Jeanne) of New Bedford, MA, and his sister Sylvia Corliss of Baldwinville, MA. They remained very close throughout the years and he found so much joy and laughter in his phone conversations and visits with them, talking Red Sox, Patriots, Kimball’s Ice Creams/SS Lobster rolls (two things he missed dearly) and current events. Later in life, after his retirement from Borden Chemical he took up the hobby of flea marketing. He loved spending time with his sons at the flea market, enjoyed chatting with people, the art of the deal and selling small items. He was a dollar store before there were even dollar stores around, (a.k.a Dave’s Discount). He was lovingly referred to as “Uncle Flea” by his nieces and nephews. Most importantly he enjoyed spending time with his family whenever he could. He and his wife Carolyn eventually moved south to warmer weather and settled in Florida where they were attached to the hip. He served as President of his park community, enjoyed playing cribbage with his neighbors in the clubhouse and continued on with his passion for Flea Marketing and bargaining. David had a wonderful gift of gab. He loved sharing stories with his children and grandchildren about growing up in Leominster and his days in the Navy. He never forgot a name or detail. He had a terrific dry sense of humor, an infectious laugh and kept his family in stitches. His gift for sharing stories of his life will be precious memories that will live on for family generations to come. Additionally, he leaves behind many great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews and his Florida friends Carl, Shelley and Harry.