William E. Cornell, Jr. ("Bill")

August 8, 1940 to March 12, 2021

Bill Cornell died peacefully in his home on Friday, March 12 after a brief illness. Mourned by daughters Jennifer Leigh (Brent) Guernsey and Glenda Linn Taylor, grandchildren Ethan and Madeline Taylor and Dale and Beverly Guernsey, nieces Kimberly Cornell and Melissa Maxwell, best friend Bill Singer, and beloved feline companion Winston. He was preceded in death by his wife of 53 years, Carol Chamberlin Cornell, his brother, Fredward T. Cornell, and his parents, William E., Sr. and Barbara E. Cornell. Bill was born in Franklin, Pennsylvania and grew up in numerous locations in northwestern Pennsylvania and northeastern Ohio until his family finally settled in Twinsburg his junior year of high school. He received a Bachelor's Degree in Comparative Social Studies in 1962 and a Master's Degree in Geography in 1966 from Kent State University. Bill married his highschool sweetheart, and they settled in Twinsburg in a house he designed and built. Bill taught American history and social studies in the Twinsburg school system, serving also as Director of Instructional Materials and supervising evening high school classes. Bill dearly loved teaching, but felt he could better support his family in another field, so he began a long career in commercial real estate working for B.F. Goodrich, Firestone, Sherwin-Williams, and finally Popeye's. Throughout his life he also invested in and managed his own commercial and residential properties. Bill was an avid and accomplished sailor and skier. When a near-fatal bout of leukemia forced him to give up those beloved hobbies, he began writing, publishing two memoirs ( Tales of a Great Lakes Sailor and Railroading with the Cornells ) and a work of historical fiction ( Geltersburg ). A graveside funeral service will be held outdoors at Crown Hill Cemetery, Twinsburg, Ohio at noon on Wednesday, March 17. There is no dress code, save for a request to wear a face mask. In lieu of flowers, Bill requested donations to the Twinsburg location of the Humane Society of Summit County.