Dr. Thomas Nye Corpening was born to Dr. Oscar J. and Alice Surles Corpening in Granite Falls, North Carolina. He passed away peacefully at his home on Sunday, December 20, 2020 in The Woodlands, Texas. Tom was preceded in death by his wife Shirley , both parents and all eleven siblings Elizabeth, Sara, Albert, William, Robert, Mary Watson, Adelaide, Joseph, James, Barbara and Gene.

Tom graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (as did his brothers, probably a record for the most UNC graduates from one family generation) and the University of Maryland Medical School, and he earned his medical license in 1950. In his family he became the fourth of his brothers to become a doctor, following his father and his great-aunt who was the first woman to graduate from UNC Medical School. During his residency at The University of Texas Medical Branch-Galveston, he met his future wife, Shirley, who was studying to become a Medical Technologist.

During the Korean conflict, he served in the U.S. Air Force as a flight surgeon, achieving the rank of captain. While stationed in Japan for two years, he married Shirley McDonald in Tokyo in 1953 and they eventually moved to Houston, Texas.

He practiced Internal Medicine for more than 65 years, retiring at the age of 88.  He was a brilliant diagnostician, and by all accounts, his patients loved him.  Asked if any of his patients had lived to be a hundred, he replied, "I quit counting after twenty."  Tom was always thrilled when patients brought him delicious home-made cakes, cookies and preserves, as well as home-grown vegetables and wild game.

He was proud to be an early Mensa member and enjoyed jogging, tennis and fishing at their beach house on Bolivar peninsula, until it was destroyed by Hurricane Ike.  Tom had a great memory and was an excellent bridge player, who could often be relied upon to discuss how the last hand should have been played.

His wide-ranging interests included stock market analysis, bridge, dancing and gardening, with an appreciation of blooming weeds.  As an art student at the Glassell School of Art for over 30 years, he created an enormous body of artwork with a unique point of view. He authored two books, "Autobiofeedback" and "The Pet Rock Joke Book," and two pet rock songs which he had produced and recorded.

He is survived by his children Lloyd Corpening, Carolyn Weaver (Mark) and Owen Corpening (Diana), grandchildren Robert Corpening, Kirby Weaver and Deborah Corpening and many nieces and nephews. Despite living in Texas for over 60 years, he remained a North Carolina Tar Heel at heart.