Robert Allen Cornelius

Robert Allen Cornelius, 87, passed away peacefully at home on July 24, 2025, surrounded by the love of his family. Bob was born on August 17, 1937, in Kansas City, Kansas, to Walter and Julia Cornelius.

At a young age, Bob and his brother Butch went to live with their beloved grandmother in Iowa Falls, Iowa, where he graduated from high school in 1956. Soon after, he proudly joined the U.S. Marine Corps and was stationed at Camp Pendleton, California. There, he completed the Marine Corps Institute course in meat cutting - a trade that became his lifelong passion and career for more than sixty years.

Bob eventually settled in Idaho, where he started a family that grew to include a son and two daughters. A proud husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, Bob was also a loyal Kansas City Chiefs fan and an enthusiastic Boise State Broncos supporter. While serving a three-year term on the board of directors of the Bronco Athletic Association, he met his future wife, Linda. Together, they opened Meats Royale, their own retail meat market. Customers fondly remember Bob for his signature slogan: "You can't beat our meat."

For over 25 years, Bob and a group of close friends and family cooked annual team meals for the Boise State football team - from hamburgers and hot dogs under Coach Criner to one-pound T-bone steaks during Coach Pete's era. He was also the cherished chef for the Iron Warriors Motorcycle Club, traveling across Idaho with whole pigs in tow for their legendary roasts.

He cherished his wife, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, his extended Kansas City family, and especially his Aunt Mary, with whom he shared a special bond. His lifelong friends from the Legends held a sacred place in his heart - right next to his beloved Coors Light.

Bob is survived by his wife, Linda; children Mike (Senta) Cornelius, Shannon (Dave) Huyg, and Robin (Bob) Murray; stepson Michael Kesner; eleven grandchildren; and fourteen great-grandchildren. He will also be missed by his Kansas City family: Barb and George, Marilyn and Lloyd, Diane and Joe, and Jess Allen and Sharon.

A service with military honors will be held at the Idaho State Veterans Cemetery on August 15, 2025, at 10:00 a.m., followed by a Celebration of Life at Legends Pub & Grill, 7609 W. Overland Road, Boise, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. All who knew and loved Bob are welcome to attend.