Edwin Gharst Corr

August 6, 1934 – February 11, 2026

Edwin Gharst Corr, 91, passed away on February 11, 2026, at home in Norman, OK. Ed was born 15 minutes before his identical twin, Bert, in Edmond, OK, on August 6, 1934, to E. L. Corr and Rowena Gharst Corr.

He always considered Perry, OK, as his hometown where he graduated from Perry High School, excelled in wrestling and made lifelong friends. Ed went to OU on wrestling and NROTC scholarships. He made the OU wrestling team at 130 pounds for two years. He was proud to be coached by Port Robertson during the time OU won NCAA national championships.

Ed and Susanne Springer were married on November 24, 1957, within one day of Bert’s marriage to Jere Claxton. After Ed obtained his BS in education, both he and his twin joined the Marine Corps and the couples moved to Hawaii. Ed gained the rank of captain in 3.5 years and led his platoon to be declared Outstanding in the Pacific Area. Ed wrestled for the All-Marine Team, winning 4th place in the National AAU Tournament in 1959. After the Marine Corps, Ed returned to OU to earn a master’s degree in history.

In Norman, daughters Michelle and Jennifer were born. Ed intended to become a teacher and coach. However, his plans changed when he saw a U.S. Foreign Service advertisement seeking applications. The young family embarked on their first assignment to Mexico City, where third daughter Phoebe was born. During this assignment, Ed helped relocate the large embassy, served as an assistant to the ambassador and helped coach the Mexican Olympic wrestling team. After President Kennedy’s assassination, Ed took leave from the State Department to serve for 2 years as a staff member for the Peace Corps in Cali, Colombia. Then he obtained a second master’s in Latin American Studies in Austin, TX.

In 1969, the family moved to Washington, DC, where Ed worked as a Panama Desk Officer and helped set up the Inter-American Foundation, which helped the “poorest of the poor” in Latin America. His next assignment was 3 years at the Embassy in Bangkok, Thailand, as Mission Coordinator, followed by 3 years in Ecuador where he became the chargé d’affaires for the embassy. First Lady Rosalynn Carter visited Ecuador while Ed was chargé d’affaires and later told her husband what a good job Ed was doing.

Ed returned to the U.S. to serve as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of International Narcotics Matters. While serving in that role, he traveled extensively throughout the Middle East, missing by just a day the beginning of the Iranian Hostage Crisis, when militants overran the compound and took American diplomats hostage.

In 1980, President Carter appointed Ed as the ambassador to Peru. When President Reagan was elected, he named Ed the ambassador to Bolivia, where he served for four years, then he was named the ambassador to El Salvador during a civil war. Ed was skilled in helping countries return their institutions to democracy and was recognized by host governments with many awards.

After almost 30 years of diplomatic service in many challenging assignments, the State Department awarded Ed an appointment as Diplomat in Residence to the University of Oklahoma. He taught classes in political science at both OU and OSU, encouraging many students to pursue careers in the Foreign Service. After retirement from the State Department, Ed continued as an OU professor, holding the Henry Bellmon Chair in Public Service. He helped establish International Programs and the Energy Institute of the Americas.

Ed was fluent in Spanish and had a working knowledge of Thai and French. He was involved in each country in a local English-speaking church and often taught Sunday School. He lived a life of deep Christian faith, reading his Bible nearly every day.

In 2013 Ed was inducted into the Perry High School Alumni Association Honor Roll. He also was inducted into the Oklahoma Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2006 for his accomplishments off the mat.

Preceding him in death were his parents, younger brother Bill Corr and sister Jean Anne Cochrane. He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Susanne, and their three daughters: Michelle Corr/David Jones, Jennifer Ladd, and Phoebe Morales; four grandchildren: Nathan Ladd/Zuleima Ladd, Jessica Ladd, Rebeka Morales, and Jose Agustin Morales; two great-grandsons: Robert and Elijah Ladd; his twin brother Dr. Bert Corr; niece Cindy/Don Harrison; nephews Ed/Debra Corr, Jim/Kathy Cochrane, and Bill/Carol Cochrane; and brother in-law Miguel Gomez.

A memorial service will be held on February 23 at the First Christian Church in Norman. Arrangements are under the direction of Havenbrook Funeral Home.