Schoharie County NYGenWeb Site

Lyndon Brainard Cornell obituary

submitted by Michael Cornell

Lyndon Brainard Cornell
The Daily Editor October 5, 1995

NORTH BLENHEIM—Lyndon B. Cornell, North Blenheim, 69, died at his Stonehedge home on North Road, Wednesday, October 4.

Born February 25, 1926 in the Town of Gilboa, Mr. Cornell was the son of Vernor H. and Florence (Brainard) Cornell. Brought up by his Brainard grandparents after his mother’s death, when he was seven, he came to Blenheim to the home of Adelbert and Grace Vrooman at the age of twelve, in 1938, working for his room and board and attending Gilboa Central School.

In 1943, he was employed as a mechanic at Oneonta Sales Company. In 1944, at age eighteen, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served during World War II in the Pacific Theater, spending a year at sea in the Amphibious Corp.

In 1946, he was employed at Ken Jerauld’s Garage, Otego, for three years.

On August 29, 1948, he married Fanchon A. Dewell of North Blenheim, who survives him. In 1949, he received his high school diploma from Otego Central School, and moved back to Blenheim. For 14 years, beginning in 1950, he was a bus mechanic and driver, then transportation supervisor at Schoharie Central School.

Receiving his permanent teacher certification in Auto Mechanics from SUCE Oswego in 1965, he taught at Linton High School in Schenectady for twenty years, retiring in 1984. He served as a Linton Building Senator for the Schenectady Teachers’ Association, and for twelve years as a reviewer for the N.Y.S. Education Department’s final June exams in Auto Mechanics. He was a committee member of the Schenectady Teachers’ Federal Credit Union.

Active in the local Methodist and Presbyterian churches, he served not only as trustee and elder, but also 17 years as treasurer, 12 years as sexton, eight years as clerk of session, and three years as a youth fellowship counselor. He was an attendant of the Schoharie County Men’s Fellowship Prayer Breakfast for 10 years.

A member of the Gilboa Central School Parent Teachers Association for 15 years, he served as its president in 1960-61. For 13 years, he was town co-chairman with his wife for the annual Heart Fund drives.

A Blenheim Hose Company member since 1962, he served as an assistant fire chief for 10 years, and received its first annual Firefighter of the Year Award last year. Mr. Cornell was a benefactor of the Blenheim Bridge Historical Association.

A Foster Parents’ Plan father of children in Holland, Korea, and lastly Honduras, he was also a sponsor of Heriton Lamare of Asapalli Christian Hotel in India and of Aranifasa Laia, a medical school student in Sumatra, at the time of his death.

Survivors, in addition to his wife, and his father who resides in Franklin, New Jersey, include a son and daughter-in-law, Lyndon Everett and Marie Cornell of North Blenheim; a daughter and a son-in-law, Diana and Hugh Murphy of Marietta, Georgia; five grandchildren, Alicia and Melissa Cornell and Rachel, Matthew, and Sarah Murphy; a brother, Lawrence Cornell of Zephyrhills, Florida; a sister, Gladys Banner of Milford Center; several uncles, aunts, nephews and nieces, and 31 first cousins.

Services will be at the North Blenheim Presbyterian Church on Saturday, October 7 at 2:00 p.m. Friends may call at the church during the two hours prior to the funeral service, when the family will be in attendance. Burial will be in Old Stone Fort Cemetery, Schoharie. Arrangements are under the direction of Palmer & Shaylor, Inc. Funeral Home, 63 River Street, Middleburgh.

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