WELLSVILLE - Louis “Ben” Cornelius, 91, of 4192A Bolivar
Road passed away on Wednesday, December 19, 2018 at the Wellsville Manor Care
Center with his family at his side. He was born December 14, 1927 in Alfred,
the son of the late Lloyd and Lillian (Fanton) Cornelius. On July 9, 1955 in
Elm Valley he married Marilyn Pfohl who survives.
Ben was raised in Alfred and was a 1946 graduate of
Alfred-Almond High School. He was a veteran the U. S. Army from 1951 to 1953,
and served in Germany during the Korean War. He was first employed by the
Alfred Telephone Company, and Alfred Atlas Sand and Gravel. In 1956 he began
his career as a lineman for New York Telephone in Wellsville and later was an
installer until his retirement in 1989. In his retirement he became a partner
in East Dyke Depot in Wellsville. He was an avid railroad modeler, and enjoyed
kit-bashing the Wellsville, Addison, and Galeton Railroad for his extensive
layout.
He was a member of the Morrison Hayes Post 702 American
Legion, the Frank B. Church Post 2530 VFW, the Wellsville Moose Lodge No.601,
Elks Lodge No.1495, the Wellsville Lions Club, the Wellsville Country Club, and
the Trinity Lutheran Church. He and Ron Tomah organized the annual “Indian Open
Golf Tournament” at the Wellsville Country Club. In addition to railroad
modeling, he enjoyed flower gardening, bird watching, and hunting.
Surviving in addition to his wife are two sons, Louis “Ben”
(Judith) Cornelius, and Bradley Cornelius both of Wellsville, a daughter, Karen
Lane of Virginia Beach, VA, six grandchildren, Justin (Kari) Cornelius, Matthew
(Diana Gowdy) Cornelius, Brian Lane, Kelly Lane, Joshua Cornelius, and Jacob
Cornelius, a sister, Charlotte (Mac) Davis of Lehigh Acres, FL, as well as
several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased in addition to his parents by a
a infant daughter, Sharon, two brothers, Norman Frances, and Donald Cornelius,
and a sister, Eleanor Hepworth.
Friends are invited to call on Thursday, December 27, 2018
from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the J. W. Embser Sons Funeral Home Inc. in
Wellsville. The funeral will be Friday, December 28 at 10:00 a.m. in the
funeral home with Pastor Bill Wilson presiding. Burial with military honors
will follow at Alfred Rural Cemetery. Please consider memorial donations to the
SPCA Serving Allegany County. To leave online condolences, please visit www.embserfuneralhome.com.
