On March 1, Marion Eugene “Gene” Cornell, 85, slipped away without fanfare, next to the wood stove in the home he and his beloved wife built, lovingly furnished, and decorated. A cancer diagnosis six months earlier was followed by declining health, time in which he basked in the love and company of his family and multitude of friends. He remained gracious to all, and grateful for the love and affection expressed by those who called, wrote,visited, and cared for him.
Gene was born in Grubville, a humble spot on the Missouri map below Union and Sullivan, on August 6, 1940. When his father was drafted, the family relocated to Columbia, Missouri, where Gene attended public elementary school and graduated from Hickman High. He attended the University of Missouri for four years and studied horticulture. The lure of a job in a greenhouse brought Gene to Warrenton as a young newlywed. Shortly thereafter, the Nieburg Furniture store offered another opportunity that led to a lifelong friendship with the Nieburg family and the eventual purchase of the business. His gregarious personality was an asset and he thoroughly enjoyed the years spent choosing furniture at the Dallas Furniture Market, selling at the store on Warrenton’s main street, and making deliveries all over eastern Missouri. The experience made him a discerning judge of quality and craftsmanship in home furnishings. He would tell you that he spent an abundance of time in animated socialization at the local watering hole, Isabelle’s bar and restaurant, during those years.
When bigger stores and cheaper products gained popularity, and small town stores became unprofitable, he closed the business and was fortunate to become Warren County’s license fee agent. That stepping stone led to twenty years as the elected treasurer of Warren County. He took pride in balancing the books and serving as a county official. He retired when his fifth term ended in 2015. Along the way, he satisfied an insatiable curiosity about the people and places around him through active participation in the community. He was a member of the Jaycees, the Downtown Warrenton Association, Warren County Historical Society, and Immanuel United Church of Christ—Holstein. He was a recognized and valued local historian who presented programs and hosted walking tours in which he promised to impart entertaining facts and
fiction with equal enthusiasm. He was a beloved mentor in Sunday school, vacation Bible school and confirmation classes. He cherished his role in the lives of those young charges and enjoyed watching them mature into adults with families of their own. He served in nearly every capacity at Immanuel: pastoral searches, dependable cook and bottle washer, cemetery guardian and pulpit supply.
Gene’s love of nature was expressed through his hobbies: mule trail riding in Missouri and Illinois; road trips and RV camping in scenic parks from coast to coast; unnecessarily self-deprecating bread baking; working with wood to create many artistic and useful things in their home; reading poetry and prose (environmentalist and farmer Wendell Berry was a favorite), and collecting Missouri artifacts. He lived the last decades of his life believing in his own ability to grow in character.
He understood his faith as an exercise in joyful hospitality, and shared that joy in generous acts—serving bereavement meals to grieving families; supporting causes that lifted up hometown neighbors and distant strangers; and welcoming new and old friends to a tumbler of whiskey, a
glass of wine, and a groaning board of dishes that he and Penny prepared together. Lucky were those who spent time in this circle of thoughtful hospitality. He was a talker, with a tender capacity for listening. On those many road trips that often began on a whim, he returned with as many stories about the people they met along the way as the rivers, creeks and splendid woods they camped beside. As a grandparent, he was an attentive audience and rarely missed a grandchild’s performance on the field or stage.
He was preceded in death by his parents, George Preston Cornell and Helen Frances (Martin) Cornell; and siblings Ronald George Cornell, Carolyn Hobart and Marilyn Spencer. He is survived by his wife of 33 years, Penny R. (Fowler) Cornell; children Rachael E. Tracy and John S. Cornell (Kristy); stepsons Charles Neubauer (Linda) and Kelly Neubauer (Bizzie); grandchildren Christopher Tracy, Jaycie Cornell, Keaton Cornell, Cooper Cornell, Carrie Huskey, Amy Fox, Michael Huskey; and many beloved extended family members and friends.
Visitation will be at Martin Funeral Home, in Warrenton, from 3 P.M. - 7 P.M., Friday, March 6. The funeral service will be 10 A.M., Saturday, March 7, at Immanuel UCC, in Holstein. Interment to follow in the adjacent church cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials to honor Gene’s life may be made to Holstein Cemetery Fund—Immanuel UCC of Holstein.
