Lily Corcoran, Black Eagle Dancing Woman, 93, passed away due to natural causes at her son's residence in Helena on Tuesday, January 16, 2018.  Wake services will begin at 2:00 p.m., and a Rosary service will be held at 7:00 p.m., on Friday, January 19, 2018, at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Rocky Boy.  Funeral services will be at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 20, 2018, also at St. Mary's.  Burial will follow in the Rocky Boy Cemetery.

Lily was born on October 26, 1924, in St. Mary's, to George and Maggie (Pepin) Whitford.  She was raised in Rocky Boy, Havre, and Babb, attending Flandreau Indian School.  Following her school years, Lily married William L. "Corky" Corcoran, and the couple had eleven children.  They raised their children in Helena, Shelby, Spokane, WA, and Havre, returning to Rocky Boy in 1973, where they lived until their deaths.  For many years, Lily worked as a truant officer in the Rocky Boy, Havre, and Box Elder school districts, where she was quite successful.  She also worked with the Rocky Boy Senior Center, and was instrumental in getting a new Senior Center built many years ago.

She loved quilting, beading, traveling, visiting, and berry picking.  She enjoyed playing cards, especially pinochle and cribbage, and she found playing the machines quite entertaining, as well.  Lily loved to attend Pow Wows, and listen to music, especially with fiddlers.  She could cut quite the rug, and loved to attend every dance that she could find.  Lily loved to follow her children and grandchildren in all their extracurricular activities, especially basketball and concerts.  She was quite the tease with her beloved grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and showed how young-at-heart she was by flirting with her doctors.  Lily was a strong, smart, and loving woman who loved to help and raised several generations, and whom many called "Grandma Lily".

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband William "Corky" Corcoran; her children Margaret "Donia" (Corcoran) Peterson and George Corcoran; her parents George and Maggie Whitford; her siblings, Henry "Hank" Whitford, Joann Salois, Peter Whitford, and three young siblings.

Lily is survived by her children, William "Corky" (Wilma) Corcoran and Joe Corcoran, all of Rocky Boy, Dale Corcoran of Billings, Peter (Chris) Corcoran of Helena, Frank (Nancy) Corcoran of PA, Ron Corcoran of Billings, James "Jimmy" (Theresa) Corcoran of PA, Steve (Pam) Corcoran of Rocky Boy, and Earl (Norie) Corcoran of PA; three granddaughters raised as special daughters, Lori (Mike) Osgood of Havre, Michelle (Dwayne) Lee of WA, and LeiLoni (Jason) Anderson of WA; her son-in-law, Jerry Peterson of Great Falls; numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren; her sister-in-law, Lillian Whitford of Babb; and numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, and other extended family and friends.