ROBERT CORNELL

1937 - 2023

CORNELL, Robert Mathematics Teacher and Actor Bob Cornell, passed away peacefully, at home on November 4. He was 86. In his last two months, he benefited from compassionate and skilled, end-of-life care from the Hospice of the Good Shepherd, and he had numerous and regular visits with loving family and friends. Bob practiced Nichiren Buddhism with the Soka Gakkai International for 36 years. The deeply humanistic philosophy and daily practice of chanting allowed him to face his illness and bring his life to a close with grace, gentleness, kindness to others and a strong heart. He fulfilled his purpose in this lifetime. For 39 years, Bob taught high school mathematics at Berwick Academy, then Concord-Carlisle High School, Lincoln-Sudbury High School, Phillips Exeter Academy and Milton Academy, where he was head of the math department. He was passionate about his field, innovative in his teaching methods, and respected as a creative and forward-thinking leader. He was dedicated to his students and excited to engage in the learning process with them. At Milton Academy, he pioneered the student-centered, cooperative learning model of teaching math and embraced the use of computer technologies. He was the driving force in the creation of an Advanced Placement Statistics course and mathematical modeling courses among other efforts. For many summers, he taught math teachers at the Exeter Mathematics Institute. Always intellectually curious and continually learning, Bob will also be remembered for his caring for others. He encouraged many, many students to learn and grow and his colleagues to expand their repertoires. Bob loved theater. He performed in many productions over the years. As a child, he performed in a production of Our Town at the Wellesley Summer Theater with Thornton Wilder in the role of the stage manager. More than 60 years later, Bob himself played that role in the Moonstruck Production of Our Town in Framingham, MA. He was active on stage and behind the scenes with The Footlight Club in Jamaica Plain and with many other university and school productions. In retirement, Bob studied acting, taking classes on Meisner technique, Shakespeare, voice and improv. He was featured in several commercials. Enjoying all the arts, Bob took up Japanese brush painting, life drawing and botanical illustration at various times. He loved travel, and closer to home, hiking in the White Mountains, sailing on the coast of Maine, walking at the Arnold Arboretum and nearby Jamaica Pond. Bob leaves a large and loving family, his wife of 33 years, Catherine Ives Cornell; his four children, Jacques Cornell, Dr. Robyn Fleck, Michael Fleck and Jessamy Cornell; his daughter-in-law, Allison Lynch; his son-in-law Robert Tollett; his sister, Lila Weaver; his brother and sister-in-law, Dave and Deb Adams; and his seven grandchildren, Justin, Liz, Sarah, Ezra, Samantha, Jasper and Ronan. He also leaves his first wife, Margot Woodward Fleck; and was predeceased by his second wife, Katharine "Kit" Cornell. A Memorial for Bob's life will be held at a future date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hospice of the Good Shepherd, 160 Wells Ave., Newton. MA 02459 or Dana Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Ave., Boston, MA 02215.