Shirley grew up in a very patriotic family and always held the belief that everyone should "serve our country." Upon graduating from high school with the class of 1950, she immediately followed in the footsteps of her six uncles and enlisted in the United States Army. She completed her basic training at Fort Lee, Virginia. Her next stop was Fort Riley, KS where she became a member of the first group of all women to go through training at Fort Riley, KS. She was assigned to Fort Belvoir, VA when the Korean War erupted. There, she did requisitions for supplies for the war, which "included men, tanks, jeeps, guns, artillery just everything needed to the fight the war was my job." Shirley was honorably discharged in 1952 at Fort Belvoir, VA with the rank of Private First Class.
On September 5, 1952 in Hyattsville, Maryland, Shirley was united in marriage with Marvin L. Cornelius. They shared over sixty-three years of marriage. He preceded her in death on February 17, 2016.
Their family, including four boys and two girls, moved to Baldwin City after Marvin was honorably discharged as a Sergeant First Class from the United States Army following an assignment in the Panama Canal Zone.
Shirley would go on to work as a cafeteria cook for Baldwin City, KS schools for eight years and also worked at Dazey Products of Gardner, KS as a tester and the quality assurance department.
She was a member of Lighthouse Baptist Church, Baldwin City. Shirley was presented with her Baldwin City Quilt of Valor in 2015. She actively supported Native American Children's Fund and Operation Smile.
Shirley loved her family and The Lord. She enjoyed meals with the "Young At Heart" club, quilting, reading, completing word searches, gardening, especially African Violets, watching "The Jetsons" and movies. In fact, she documented watching over 1,000 movies in one year.
Mrs. Cornelius was also preceded in death by her parents; a son, Leonard Cornelius; a brother, Harold F. Weaver; and three sisters, Dorothy Clark, Delores McKeckmie, and Rosie Weaver.
Survivors include her children, Laurence Cornelius of Middleburg, FL, La Verne Lane Cornelius of Raytown, MO, Leslie Cornelius of Baldwin City, Kansas, Laura Leigh Cornelius of Baldwin City, KS, Loretta Weber of Topeka, KS; a sister, Margaret Barnes, Jackson, North Carolina; twelve grandchildren; and sixteen great-grandchildren.
Memorial funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Friday, June 17, 2016 at Lighthouse Baptist Church, Baldwin City. Internment will follow at Vinland Cemetery, Vinland, KS. Memorial contributions may be made to Lighthouse Baptist Church and sent in c/o Lamb-Roberts Funeral Home, P.O. Box 64, Baldwin City, KS 66006. Condolences may be sent to the family through lamb-roberts.com.
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