James A. Cornell, Died January 10, 2019

James A. Cornell

Died Jan. 10, 2019

NORTHPORT – James Arthur Cornell, 94, of Northport passed away on Thursday, Jan. 10, 2019 peacefully at home in the presence of family.

He was born March 28, 1924 in St. Johns, MI to Glen and Doris (Crowner) Cornell, the oldest of seven, growing up on the farm in depression times.

A WWII Army veteran, James served in Oran, Algiers and Italy.  He was a member of the St. Johns VFW Post 4113 and the Eagletown American Legion Post 120.  A highlight of his life was going on the Honor Flight to Washington DC in 2015.  He felt deep about caring for veterans and has long supported the Dave Roever Foundation, as they have for decades cared for veterans wounded in body, mind and soul.

He was a life member of the American Motorcycle Association. His love of riding is evidenced in the many trophies he brought home.  The most prized ones are those won from the two-day, 500 mile, cross country enduro in MI called the Jack Pine.  What an awesome time his family had following him all across the state.

He was an inventor and could build almost anything out of his machine shop in the garage on Centerline Road in St. Johns where his family lived almost 20 years.  The driveway was often clogged with farm machinery needing repair, or a new project, like a go-cart for his daughters or one of the many air sleds he built with his friend Dick Parsons of Fowler.  Some of you may remember the forerunner to the snowmobile our family called “snow boats”.  Each was individually crafted with airplane propellers for push and flying across the fields of snow, or at Houghton Lakes’ Tip up Town, or through the trails of the Upper Peninsula.

He was also a life member of the NRA and enjoyed hunting pheasant and deer, and in later years listening to the exploits of his grandchildren.  Jim was a member of the Northport Sportsman Club and so enjoyed selling the tickets and greeting everyone at the annual smelt dinner.  He was also a lifetime member of the Buckley Old Engine Club.  His main responsibility was operating the sawmill, but he had an interest in all facets of the club.  He loved that for over 50 years, the club has sought to keep the past alive and real for kids of all ages.

Until being injured, Jim was a big equipment operator, mostly working in Lansing and surrounding areas running a crane and laying water and sewer pipe.  In 1969, they moved to Northport where Jim was a partner in a business manufacturing the Swim Whiz lure and also making the Alcore rod and reel.  He retired from that business and spent his later years traveling to their winter home in Canebrake, in the southern California desert.

Spring found him traveling through the woods on their Northport property, checking for trees to fell to feed the wood stove and to use for various building projects like the cabin in the woods for his grandsons and some of the Northport Boy Scouts, and later his great grand kids.  He was always building something.  His many antique tractors were used in one way or another to prepare the ground for the large vegetable and flower garden put in every year.  Canning and freezing time was a family affair.  He worked hard all his life and even last fall was helping to split wood.  He was active first in the EUB Bingham Church in St. Johns and later at Trinity UCC in Northport.

His deep love for Geneva, his wife of 71 years, was and is inspiring all his family.  He was a man of integrity, committed to the care and protection of his family, treating others with respect, and was a mentor to many.  He lived life large and was deeply loved.

James is survived by his loving wife, Geneva; two daughters, Kathleen R. Williams and Karen L. (Steve) Gregory; a brother, Harry (Dee) Cornell of Charlevoix; four grandchildren, Charlotte Williams, Rebecca (Bruce) Fisk, Matthew Gregory, Aaron (Nicole) Gregory; eight great grandchildren, Halle, Clayton and Abagail Gregory, Evan and Ty Gregory, Elizabeth, Casey and Wyatt Fisk.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his siblings, George, Jean, Keith, Bruce and William J.; and a baby daughter, Marla Jo.

The memorial service will be held Saturday, April 27, 2019 at Trinity UCC in Northport at 1PM, with family greeting friends at 12 noon.

Memorials may be directed to Trinity UCC, PO Box 156, Northport, MI, 49670 and/or any of these nonprofits that are special to the family: daveroever.org, buckleyoldengineshow.org, midmichiganhonorflight.com.

The family thanks Hospice of Michigan for their professional, kind and loving care of James.

Condolences may be shared with James’ family below or on our Facebook Page.