Mr. Kortan, owner of the singular car rental company Motor Cars Masculine, and his surviving wife, Diane (née Dill), have taken more than 20 trips abroad by bicycle over the past 15 years. They were swarmed by bees in India, sheltered from the sun and sandstorms in a cave in Tunisia, kidnapped and robbed in Bolivia, all in one night. Joe Kortan passed away on December 6 at the age of 83. Together they and his wife raised six children (Ted, Mary, Paul, Timothy (d.), Tina (Cancian) and Damian) and nine grandchildren (Emily, Olivia , Elizabeth, Grace, Sophia, Gideon, Eve, Timothy and Catherine). His siblings, Marilyn Todia and Raymond, also lived without him.
Mr. Kortan, son of Helene R. Kortan, was born on February 18, 1931 in Palma, Ohio. (Ferencz) and (Kortan) Joseph C. He began his education at St. Charles at Borromeo Primary School and completed it at Parma High. Kortan spent two years at Baldwin-Wallace College before enlisting in the U.S. Armed Forces. Kirtan attended U.S. Army Officer Candidate School during the Korean War and eventually became commander of a field artillery battalion in Fort Carson, Colorado. However, the war was over before he could leave the country, so he enrolled at the University of Notre Dame, earning a master’s degree in accounting in 1956.
Mr. Kortan settled in Wayne County after raising his family in North Royalton. An avid high school sports and hockey enthusiast, he has a passion for rare cars, coins, stamps, books and antiques. In the 70s and 80s, his rental business catered to speed demons with exotic cars like Ferraris, Maseratis, Mercedes, MGs and more. As insurance premiums escalated, Kortan gradually sold off his car collection and donated about $1 million to charity. He also runs his own company, serving as CFO and consultant.
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