John David Cornelius Jr., a legendary Husband, Father, Brother, Uncle, Cousin and Best Friend has left this earth for his home in Heaven on Feb. 8, 2013, as promised to him by His Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013, at Zion Lutheran Church, Aberdeen. Pastor Marcia Sylvester will officiate. Burial with military honors will follow in Riverside Memorial Cemetery in Aberdeen, under the direction of Spitzer-Miller Funeral Home, Aberdeen.
Visitation will be held Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2013, from 1 to 7 p.m., with family present from 5 to 7 p.m. at Spitzer-Miller Funeral Home, 1111 S. Main St., Aberdeen.
John David Cornelius, Jr. was born June 3, 1923, to John Cornelius Sr. and Tena Cora (Tannahill) Cornelius in Aberdeen. He attended grade school in Aberdeen and graduated in 1941 from Aberdeen Central High School. As a teenager, he was a dedicated paperboy for the Aberdeen American News. John was also an accomplished musician, playing the piano, trumpet and coronet. He held 1st chair coronet player at Aberdeen Central High school. In 1939, the school band traveled to Winnipeg, Canada, to perform for the King and Queen of England.
He joined the Army Air Force on July 30, 1943, at Fort Snelling, Minn. He had basic training at Amarillo, Texas, and went on to the University of Nevada, Reno. He attended Preflight School at Dos Palos, Calif., Basic Flying School at Merced, Calif., and Twin Engine P38 Lightning Flying School at Pecos, Texas, with duty in Mississippi and Langley Field in New Port News, Va. He was honorably discharged at Camp McCoy, Wis., on Feb. 21, 1946.
John was employed at the Milwaukee Railroad for two years and worked several years in construction with his father.
He was united in marriage to the love of his life, Arleen Mae Johnson, in Aberdeen on Dec. 19, 1953. Together, they made their home in Aberdeen, where they were blessed with three children. He was a skilled Precision Machinist and Supervisor working for K.O. Lee Company for 38 years until retirement on May 30, 1991.
He was a lifelong member of the American Legion. He loved his family dearly and they cherished him. He had a heart of gold and had the talent of fixing anything from broken toys to broken hearts. He was an avid writer and historical journalist. He enjoyed carpentry, hunting, fishing and farming. He was thrilled to have the opportunity to go on the Honor Flight to Washington, D.C., on Veteran's Day, Nov. 11, 2010.
Celebrating his life is his wife of 59 years, Arleen; his children: April (Loren) Nehlich, John (Deb) Cornelius III of Aberdeen and Lisa Cornelius (Rick Glissendorf) of Wosley; grandchildren: Stacey (Rob) Weinmeister, Amy (Jeff) Weber of Omaha, Neb., Nicole (TJ) Anderson and Jennifer Cornelius of Richmond, Va.; stepgrandchildren: Tyler and Madison Gross, Aberdeen; his brother, Harold (Lila) Cornelius, of Sun City West, Ariz.; his sisters: Esther Zarse, Chicago, Ill., and Florence Cornelius of Carol Stream, Ill.; great-grandchildren: Ellie, Riley and Brody Weinmeister, of Aberdeen. He is also survived by many beloved cousins, nephews, nieces and their families.
Preceding him in death were his parents, John and Tena; sister, Helen Cook; sisters-in-law: Laverne Olsen, Francie Nelson, Virginia Johnson and Jeanette Johnson; brothers-in-law: Art Olsen, Lyle Nelson, Quinten Johnson, Marvin Johnson, Kenneth Johnson and Curt Johnson.
Honorary casketbearers will be all of John's grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Casketbearers will be: John Cornelius III, Loren Nehlich, Rick Glissendorf, Rob Weinmeister, Jeff Weber, April Nehlich, Lisa Cornelius and Deb Cornelius.
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