Louis “Ben” Cornelius

Wellsville, NY - Louis “Ben” Cornelius, 91, of 4192A Bolivar Road passed away on Wednesday, December 19, 2018 at the Wellsville Manor Care Center with his family at his side. He was born December 14, 1927 in Alfred, the son of the late Lloyd and Lillian (Fanton) Cornelius. On July 9, 1955 in Elm Valley he married Marilyn Pfohl who survives.

Ben was raised in Alfred and was a 1946 graduate of Alfred-Almond High School. He was a veteran the U. S. Army from 1951 to 1953, and served in Germany during the Korean War. He was first employed by the Alfred Telephone Company, and Alfred Atlas Sand and Gravel. In 1956 he began his career as a lineman for New York Telephone in Wellsville and later was an installer until his retirement in 1989. In his retirement he became a partner in East Dyke Depot in Wellsville. He was an avid railroad modeler, and enjoyed kit-bashing the Wellsville, Addison, and Galeton Railroad for his extensive layout.

He was a member of the Morrison Hayes Post 702 American Legion, the Frank B. Church Post 2530 VFW, the Wellsville Moose Lodge No.601, Elks Lodge No.1495, the Wellsville Lions Club, the Wellsville Country Club, and the Trinity Lutheran Church. He and Ron Tomah organized the annual “Indian Open Golf Tournament” at the Wellsville Country Club. In addition to railroad modeling, he enjoyed flower gardening, bird watching, and hunting.

Surviving in addition to his wife are two sons, Louis “Ben” (Judith) Cornelius, and Bradley Cornelius both of Wellsville, a daughter, Karen Lane of Virginia Beach, VA, six grandchildren, Justin (Kari) Cornelius, Matthew (Diana Gowdy) Cornelius, Brian Lane, Kelly Lane, Joshua Cornelius, and Jacob Cornelius, a sister, Charlotte (Mac) Davis of Lehigh Acres, FL, as well as several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased in addition to his parents by a a infant daughter, Sharon, two brothers, Norman Frances, and Donald Cornelius, and a sister, Eleanor Hepworth. 

Friends are invited to call on Thursday, December 27, 2018 from 5:00 to 7:00 pm at the J. W. Embser Sons Funeral Home Inc. in Wellsville. The funeral will be Friday, December 28 at 10:00 am in the funeral home with Pastor Bill Wilson presiding. Burial with military honors will follow at Alfred Rural Cemetery. Please consider memorial donations to the SPCA Serving Allegany County. To leave online condolences, please visit www.embserfuneralhome.com.