CORCORAN, CHARLES LESLIE (8 Sept. 1878-22 Dec. 1958) was a banker, businessman, prominent Catholic layman and original board and founding member of the Catholic Charities Corporation of which he served as president.
Charles was born in Cleveland to Hugh and Mary (Manning). He graduated from (Cleveland) Central High School and attended St. Ignatius College, but did not graduate. Corcoran joined Central National Bank in 1899 and worked his way up to senior vice-president in the banking division. He remained with Central National until his retirement in 1947.
When Catholic Charities was incorporated in 1919 Corcoran named as a member of the original board of trustees. Already a prominent businessman Corcoran was one of several Catholic laymen recruited to help the financially-troubled diocese. He served as its first secretary until 1927, became the organization's first vice-president in 1930, and served as president in 1931. Corcoran continued to remain active on the advisory board of Catholic Charities until his death.
Corcoran's involvement with numerous Catholic agencies and his life long work for the church won him appointment by Pope Pius XII as a Knight of St. Gregory the Great. He was a member of the Association of Reserve City Bankers, a director of the Dobeckmum Company, Cleveland, and served on the Community Fund's hospital budget committee.
Corcoran married Anne O'Rourke on 6 Sept. 1905. They had four children: Mary, Elizabeth, Margaret and G. Robert. Corcoran is buried in CALVARY CEMETERY.