Eldon Cornelius

Eldon Cornelius, age 91, of Watertown, SD, passed away on Sunday, October 20, 2024 at Avantara Watertown. Funeral Services will be at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, October 25, 2024 at Cornerstone Church in Watertown. Rev. Steve Anderson will officiate.
Visitation will be at the Cornerstone Church in Watertown on Friday from 10-11 a.m.
Burial will be at Mt. Hope Cemetery in Watertown. Military graveside honors will be conducted by Codington County Post #17 of the American Legion, Watertown, and the Military Funeral Honors Team of the SD Army National Guard. Honorary Pallbearers are Don Mahlen and John Mahlen. Active Pallbearers are Garrett Cornelius, Ian Miller, Brian Beck, Matthew Beck, Brandon Cornelius, and Jacob Cornelius.
Eldon was born on the family farm near Roslyn SD on January 7th 1933 to Olaf & Inga (Mahlen) Cornelius. He was baptized and confirmed at the Fron Lutheran Church of rural Roslyn where he served as a trustee and part-time janitor.
Eldon's mother passed away when he was the age of 8, he grew up helping his father and brother (Orville) working on the family farm. He attended the Pleasant View School 124 in Liberty township, achieving an 8th grade education.
Eldon was drafted into the Army where he served from October 1953 to October 1955. He received basic training at Fort Riley, Kansas for a period of 16 weeks. When basic was completed, he was assigned to the anti-aircraft artillery unit at Detroit, Michigan where he was a gun crew man, which protected the city during the Korean conflict. He was honorably discharged in October 1955 with the rank of Sp 3, while in the service.
While he was enlisted in the Army a cousin introduced him to Connie Beck and they became pen-pals.
When he returned home from the service, they started dating. They were married in the First Lutheran Church in Britton, SD on October 17, 1959. They were married for 54 years. After the marriage the couple lived on the family farm until 1969 when they left the farm to move to Watertown, SD where Eldon was employed at Mezt Bakery in the truck service department and Loken's sales barn for a period of 12 years, he then started working at Minnesota Rubber and worked for 22 years with a perfect attendance record which he was very proud of. He retired in 2004 because of health reasons, he was diagnosed with melanoma Bone Cancer, he received a Stem cell transplant, and was treated for a period of nine years, and had been in remission ever since.
After Connie's death in February 2014, Eldon continued to live in his home, until he had a vehicle accident in the early 2016 which forced him into residing at Edgewood Assisted care until 2022, where heath issues sent him to Avantara Nursing Home in Watertown, where he resided until his passing.
Eldon was a member of Cornerstone Church and attended regularly. He was active in XYZ and other groups, as well as ushering. He was a member of the American Legion, the Golden Age club, Senior Citizens Center and was involved with Meals on Wheels.
Eldon loved his Lord, his family, friends, and neighbors. He is survived by three children, David (Lori) Cornelius of Watertown, SD, Marci Cornelius of Watertown, SD, and Beckie Cornelius of Los Angeles, CA. Six grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren, one brother-in-law Carl Beck, and one sister-in-law Betty Beck of Britton, SD. He was preceded in death by his parents, one brother and his beloved wife, Connie
His advice to others is "to live the good life is to know Jesus"
Arrangements by Crawford-Osthus Funeral Chapel www.crawfordosthus.com Watertown, Hayti
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