George CORNELIUS

February 10, 1926 - July 2, 2024

Spokane - George Robert Cornelius died July 2, 2024, in Spokane, Washington. He was born February 10, 1926, in his parents' home in Elk River, Minnesota. He now resides in heaven, pain free, where his Lord and Savior promised to have a place set aside for him and is reunited with those family, friends, and saints that passed before him.

George lived a full and adventurous life. He served his country in the Pacific theater in the Navy during WW2. He married Virginia Kramer, a childhood classmate, in 1949, a union that lasted 50 years until her death in 2000. He worked for various companies throughout his career retiring from AAL Life Insurance. His career took his family to many states and through many journeys settling in Washington State. George enjoyed the outdoors traveling, stunt kite flying, camping, hiking, and backpacking, throughout the Northwest with his family and friends. He enjoyed building large model airplanes, working crossword and sudoku puzzles, eating lobster and washing it down with a diet Pepsi, Coors stubby or a glass of vintage box wine. He was an ardent fan of the Gonzaga Bulldog men's and women's basketball teams and any televised golf tournament.

George, Corny, Bob, Robert, Papa, Old Papa, Grandpa George is survived through his children, daughter, Susan (Brian) Drummond, their children, Heather, Kristin (Justin) Schaack, James (Jessica); son, John (Patrice) and their children, Megan and Nathan; and daughter, Cathy (Dean) Lenz and their children, Cara and Curyn (Taran) Denning; along with ALL of the combined grandchildren, Isabella Drummond, Zoe and William Drummond, BreeLynn and Blair Cornelius, and Peyton Denning.

He was preceded in death by his parents, George and Florence Cornelius; brothers, Lawrence and Donald; and sisters, Evelyn and Dorothy.

George's memorial service will be held August 9, 2024, at 1pm at St. Luke Lutheran Church, 9704 N. Division, in Spokane, Washington.

A military interment will take place at the Washington State Veterans Cemetery near Medical Lake, Washington, at an earlier date. A special thanks to all the folks at Fairwinds that became a second family to George. In lieu of flowers, if one wishes to do so, memorials may be sent to St. Luke Lutheran Church, Lutherhaven Ministries in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, in George's name, or to a charity of one's choice.