Robert Cornelius

Funeral Services were held 10:30 A.M., Wednesday, April 22, 1998 at the Phillips United Methodist Church. Interment was held in the Phillips Cemetery.

OBITUARY: Robert Cornelius

Robert Arthur Cornelius, the son of George and Rosalie (Bartz) Cornelius, was born on a farm southwest of Phillips, Nebraska, on January 15, 1919, and died at Aurora, Nebraska, on April 18, 1998, at the age of 79 years, 3 months, and 3 days.

He attended grade school at District #88, and graduated from Phillips High School in 1936. He then attended the University of Nebraska at Lincoln for one year, and was a member of the AGR Fraternity.

On May 12, 1940, he was united in marriage to Esther Dean. They lived in California during World War Two, and then returned to Omaha for one year, before moving back to Phillips, where he operated a repair shop at Otto’s Station.

Later he moved his shop into Phillips and started a mink farm north of town, which he ran for 18 years. He also worked as a shop foreman for Heinzman Engineering for 10 years.

After his retirement they moved to Lake McConaughy for 15 years, and moved back to Aurora in 1996. In 1997, his health failed and he entered the Hamilton Manor in February of 1998.

Bob was an avid baseball fan, and coached the Phillips baseball team for a number of years. He was also foreman of the volunteers who helped build the Phillips Gymnasium.

He was a member of the Phillips United Methodist Church, and served on the building committee. He was a Master Mason of Keystone Masonic Lodge #62, A.F. & A.M., belonged to the Scotish Rite, and was past patron of the Phillips Chapter of the Order of Eastern Star Lodge #204.

He was preceded in death by his parents, and a daughter Jeanette Marlatt.

Those who remain to cherish his memory are his wife Esther of Aurora; one daughter Sharol of Santa Rosa, California; two sisters Betty Mabon of Phillips and Erma Bergholz of Grand Island; 6 grandchildren, and 7 great grandchildren.