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Jerry Cornelius

Thursday, September 12, 2024
Jerry Cornelius

Jerry Mac Cornelius, 77, of Fort Worth, passed away peacefully in this home surrounded by loved ones on Sept. 1, 2024.

Jerry was born to Howard Eugene and Dora Oleta Cornelius in Lubbock on July 24, 1947. He graduated from Hamilton High School in 1965, enlisted in the Navy in 1967 and served in communications on Guam until 1969.

Upon his return, he worked at Western Electric in Mesquite, which later became AT&T, then Lucent Technologies and finally Tyco Electronics.

While working full-time, he earned a bachelor’s degree in business from Amber University.

During his career, he started in quality control and then was promoted to materials management as an analyst. He ended his career as a project manager in production, where he finally retired in the mid-2000s.

After retirement, he and his wife Joan started an in-home daycare called “Meme’s and Grandad’s Little Blessings,” where he became “Grandad” to lots of little ones. They ran this daycare for many years together, providing low-cost and sometimes no-cost childcare for families in their community.

In his younger years, Jerry was an avid beach volleyball and softball player. He had a love of sports and was a diehard Cowboys fan, rarely missing a game. He enjoyed the great outdoors and would often go hunting, fishing and camping. He was known to tear up the dance floor, especially when a Willie song came on.

Jerry re-affirmed his faith in Christ as his savior when he was close to 60 years old. He was an active member of Chapel Creek Fellowship, where he served in many ministries including VBS, men’s ministries and trunk or treat. He and Joan also cleaned the church afterhours, he cooked breakfast for the Saturday morning men’s prayer group, and for service times he set up and broke down chairs. He was a familiar face to all those who attended, greeting people at the coffee stand where he made sure there was always a fresh pot for the congregation and himself. If the doors were open and events were taking place, Jerry was there helping and serving wherever he was needed.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Gene and Oleta Cornelius; brother Bob Cornelius; grandson Brody Knapp and granddaughter Brittany Battle; brothers-inlaw Dwight Landua and Rick Payne; sons-in-law Jimbo Dunlap, Matthew Knapp and Damon Battle; grandparents Roy and Thelma Cornelius and Lee and Oma Marshall; and aunt Georgia Cornelius Musil.

Jerry is survived by his wife Joan Faux-Cornelius; daughters Dayna Cornelius (Tiffany Lee), Denise Wilson (Dave), Renee Morales (Greg), Jennifer Faux-O’Henley, Lisa Farris (Phillip) and Nina Cornelius; son Michael Faux (Ashlie); sisters Martha Landua and Kathy Keaton (Charles); sister-in-law Shellie Cornelius; stepmother Jo Ann Baker Cornelius; aunt Mary Cornelius Whitworth; 13 grandkids; three great-grandkids; and many nieces and nephews.

Jerry will be remembered as a kind and gentle peacemaker with a strong wit, known for loving a good prank and filling everyone’s life with lots of love and laughs.

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