Aileen Amanda Corbie

Aileen Amanda Corbie was born in Tunapuna, Trinidad on June 11,1936 to the late Maydale and Todman Guy. She was the eldest of 7 children- Cynthia, Kristeen, Mervyn, Doreen, Lyris and Laura. Trinidad was mom’s home for much of her early life.

She was a nurse by training with a specialty in midwifery. In fact, she met her late husband Valmond Corbie in the hospital where she was training as a student nurse. They wed in London, England after she had finished her studies in 1961.

They then moved to New York city in 1962. Their union brought forth 5 children – Roxanne, who died in infancy, Giselle, Simone, Ronald and Danielle. However, their home was seen as a space of refuge, support and love for many family members that traveled from all corners of the world. When family and friends gathered at their home, she enjoyed being sous chef to her late husband Valmond Corbie and was an excellent baker.

Family and friends, new and old, came to Aileen and Val’s home to experience great culinary delights and laughter during Sunday dinners. She loved organizing social events and dinner parties. Christmas and holidays were a time of bringing together family and friends and lavishing them with sumptuous new creations as well as delicious traditional dishes from Trinidad-her black cake, pastels, sorrel and ginger beer couldn’t be beat!

In New York, she practiced nursing in a variety of hospitals across the city and was highly respected and admired by her colleagues. She continued her studies and obtained her master's degree in nursing from Long Island University and ascended to the senior ranks as a nurse leader in Caledonian Hospital as the Director of Utilization, where she led the discharge planning office and staff for the hospital.

Aileen loved music, dancing, sewing, entertaining, interior design and watching cooking shows with her Val. She and Val shared a love of travel, often taking two vacations each year- one with her children and family and one with just she and Val. It was normal for them to embark on long drives around the country, driving as far as Canda or Las Vegas with their children, grandchildren and siblings. They also traveled abroad to China, the Caribbean, Guadalupe, Europe and Africa.

She was an incredible mother to her own children and many others, who ruled at times with tough firmness, provided them with a nurturing, solid foundation in which they developed and thrived. She embodied “Tough love” - deeply caring and giving of anything she had to those in need but also strong, opinionated, no holds barred, a truth teller whether you wanted to hear it or not.

In her retirement, she and Val moved to Harlingen, Texas. She loved the warm weather of Texas as it reminded her of her native home Trinidad.

She continued to work as a nurse at a local pediatric clinic providing support to families of children who were being discharged from the hospital, coordinating both their clinical and social needs. She and Val also continued to travel extensively.

She also took the opportunity in retirement to act on that caring spirit in ways that she had longed to do. She became a member and officer in the Rotary Society, an active volunteer and regional leader in the American Cancer Society, provided clinical services for new immigrants at border settlements, and volunteered and organized many fundraising events for local churches and charities.

Aileen was a loving wife, mother, and grandmother, who doted on her family and was happiest when surrounded by them. In Harlingen, Aileen hosted her grandchildren for several months during the year, always having summers filled with great fun in the backyard pool, you could hear her calling the children, giving them desserts, that they whipped up together.

Aileen is survived by her sisters Cynthia, Kristeen, Doreen, and Laura, and children Giselle (Omar), Simone, Ronald (Bernadette) and Danielle. Grandchildren – Akil, Noble, Ajani, Mosi, Aydan, Asha, Lauren, Micah, and Triston. A host of nieces, nephews and many friends……