Helen S. Cornell

Helen Ivy Stitson Cornell 8/20/32-3/21/14

Beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, passed from this life into the arms of her Lord on Friday, March 21, 2014.

Helen was born in Fitchburg, MA. She was the only daughter of Reginald and Grace Stitson. Her hometown church was Beth Eden Baptist Church and growing up she was very active in youth activities, Girl Scouting and playing the trombone in the High School Marching Band. During the war years, she and her mother were very involved in sending packages to cousins in England to help with their shortages. Helen graduated from Fitchburg High School with High Honors in 1949. During the summers their church had outings to York Beach in Maine. This was one of her favorite places and many fond memories were had there.

Helen went off to college to Houghton in western New York State in the autumn of 1949. She wanted to major in English, but also took up Spanish and had studied German in High School. While at Houghton, she met Henry L. Cornell. He soon became more than a friend.

Helen’s mother became sick with cancer before college graduation in 1952. She did not get to see Helen graduate. Meanwhile, Henry proposed and the wedding had to be postponed until after Grace’s funeral. On Sept. 10, 1954 the wedding of Henry and Helen took place in Cape

Neddick Baptist Church in Cape Neddick, ME. Soon after their honeymoon, Henry’s father died. Instead of going to the mission field as planned, Henry served a year as interim pastor for a small church that was between pastors. After that, Henry was offered employment with the Carborundum Company in Buffalo, New York.

On September 27, 1955 Steven Henry Cornell was born to Helen and Hank. By then, they were living in a duplex apartment on Fowler Ave in Kenmore, New York. On Oct. 26, 1957 Kathleen Grace Cornell joined the little family. Helen learned to drive soon after that and obtained her driver’s license. Helen was involved with Ladies’ Bible studies and the family were members of Riverside Baptist Church.

In 1963 the family moved to Latrobe, PA due to a work promotion for Henry. By now the children were school aged and Helen was busy helping them in their homework and with church activities in the Nazarene Church. She also was a coach for the teen Bible quizzing team. Music was also an important part of life when Steve and Kathy started piano lessons. The piano was purchased and practicing became a daily routine. August 10, 1967 another baby was born to the family. Her name was Laura Jean Cornell. Helen had two built-in babysitters as Kathy was 10 and Steve was 12 yrs old. Laura was quite the star and enjoyed the attention.

The year 1969 brought another work transfer for Henry back to the Buffalo/Niagara Falls area. Renewing ties with old friends and family were becoming a way of life for the Cornell family. This time, church activities were more numerous as well as Youth groups, Bible Quizzing,

Gideons (Henry and Helen both were involved), and the transporting of people to said places. The Nazarene Church as well as the Christian Missionary Alliance Church were both churches the family attended between 1969-1974. Steve graduated from Grand Island High School in June of 1973. He decided to attend Houghton College where his parents were

Alumni.

Spring of 1974 brought another transfer to East Brunswick, New Jersey area. Kathy was a senior in high school and Laurie in grade school. Steve decided to transfer to Nyack College to be closer to home. Helen began working at J C Penneys at the local mall. She was soon one of the best shoe saleswomen there. Her caring personality made her boss happy with her. She worked there over the years until 1998 when Henry took early retirement.

In the year 2000, Helen and Henry sold their house in East Brunswick, NJ. They moved to Garden Spot Village in New Holland, PA. Helen was an active volunteer in the Library, the Village Store, the visitor’s desk, and in the Care and Share Shop. In the past several years her health started to decline and she had to pass her duties on to others.

She loved singing and playing games with her family and others. In earlier years, she was an excellent cook, pie baker and hostess. She was a generous soul and loved to give. One of her favorite things was to visit with her children and grandchildren. More recently traveling became

difficult so the family had to come to her.

Most important of all to Helen was her love for God. Through the years she showed that the best thing in life was to be true to God, to each other and to serve others with love.

Helen was Wife of Henry Lefler Cornell

Was Mother of Steven Henry Cornell m. Lillian Sprole Cornell 7/16/77

was Grandmother of Sarah Elizabeth Cornell, Kristina Margaret Cornell and

Matthew David Cornell

Was Mother of Kathleen Grace Cornell m. Glenn Powell Palmer 5/12/79

was Grandmother of Rebecca Michelle Palmer m. Nathan VanderMolen

was Great-grandmother to Lydia Grace, Joanna Joy and Samuel Andrew

VanderMolen.

was Grandmother of Rachel Elizabeth Palmer m. Jeremy Gage 5/19/07

was Great-grandmother to Jude Edwin Gage and Levi Justice Gage was Grandmother to Philip Henry Palmer m. Pulane Sekepe 12/21/12

Was Grandmother of Elijah Gideon Palmer, Thomas Jonathan Jackson Palmer, and Nathanael Glenn Palmer

Was Mother of Laura Jean Cornell m. George Heim 10/2/90

was Grandmother of Amanda Dorothy Heim

Laura Cornell Heim m. Le Roy Robinson 10/17/05

was Grandmother of James Patrick Robinson

She will be missed by all who loved and knew her.