Donald R. "Don" Cornell

Cornell, Donald R. "Don" 91 years of age, slipped away peacefully in his sleep on March 18, 2015. He was born on February 13, 1924 in Mapleton, Minnesota to Ralph and Christine Cornell. He was preceded in death by his older sisters, Gladys Treanor and Alice Olsen. Don graduated from Mapleton High School in 1942 and promptly enlisted in the Naval Air Corps. He was commissioned as a Naval Aviator and flew a bomber in the Pacific Theater until the end of the war. After leaving active duty, he obtained a Bachelor's Degree from Mankato State and a Master's from the University of South Dakota. Don remained in the Naval Reserve as a pilot until 1975. He retired from St. Louis Park Schools in 1985 after a 36-year teaching career. Throughout his retirement he always enjoyed hearing both from and about former students. In January each year, Don would anticipate the arrival of seed catalogs, and by March he would already have several hundred seedlings started in preparation for his colorful flower gardens. Thankfully his wife, Jean, has both an extensive collection of vases and an artist's eye for designing beautiful bouquets. Each morning for Don started with an optimistic attitude and a hearty breakfast, followed by a full review of the sports section of the news-paper before conquering the crossword puzzle and Sudoku. Above all, Don derived the greatest joy from his family. Whether fishing or hunting at the cabin, gardening with his grandkids, or just "visiting" at various homes for holidays and birthdays, he was always deeply interested and immensely proud of each and every family member. He was an ardent supporter and fan of the many sports and activities that his sons and grandchildren participated in, and he and Jean could regularly be seen for many years in the stands of gymnasiums, ice arenas, baseball and softball fields, and on the sidelines of soccer fields. Don is survived by his loving wife of almost 70 years, Jean; sons Lee (Jo) and Brian (LuAnn); grandchildren Heather Geariety (Mike), Caitlyn Johnson (Crystal), Adam Cornell (Aubrey), Sarah Ihrie (Joel), Allison Bickel (Ted), Brett Cornell (Amanda); and great-grandchildren Joseph Geariety, Shepard Cornell, Adelaide Cornell, Jonah Ihrie, Luca Ihrie, and Baby Bickel. He and Jean have been active members of Westwood Lutheran Church for 55 years, and would prefer memorials either to the church Sunday School, or to The Minnesota Conservation Volunteer, or to the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation. Memorial service Tuesday, March 24, at 11:00 a.m. with visitation one hour prior at Westwood Lutheran Church, 9001 Cedar Lake Rd, St. Louis Park. A light lunch will follow the service.

Tributes

Donald R. "Don" Cornell

March 18, 2015

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