Lawrence Edward Cornish

Lawrence Edward Cornish passed away peacefully at home in Seven Valleys, Pennsylvania, on April 26, 2025, at the age of 85.

Born on June 26, 1939, in Kalamazoo, Michigan, to Elwyn and Lena Cornish, Lawrence grew up on the family farm in Lawton, Michigan, with a strong sense of wanderlust. A three-sport athlete at Lawton High School, Lawrence graduated from Michigan State University in 1961 and went overseas as a Peace Corps volunteer to Chile and Peru, where he met his first wife and the mother of his children, Sharon, in 1962.

Lawrence and Sharon returned to the United States in 1967 with their sons Kevin and Todd. He began a career in technology at the US Census Bureau in Washington, D.C., where their daughter Jennifer was born.

After a 20-year career with the federal government, Lawrence enjoyed a second career traveling the world as an industrial automation engineer. He spent his retirement in rural southern Pennsylvania with his second wife, Suzanne, in a historic home that was once a stop for escaped slaves on the Underground Railroad.

Lawrence enjoyed reading about history, travel, and outdoor pursuits throughout his life. He will be remembered for his keen curiosity and support for social justice.

Lawrence’s parents and younger brother Robert (“Pete”) preceded him in death. He is survived by his second wife, Suzanne; his children: Kevin and wife Blair and their daughters Colette and Kennedy, Todd, and Jennifer; and his sister, Anne Wolownik.

A private service will be held to honor Lawrence’s life. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to a charity of your choice in his memory.