Date of death: 3/9/2019
Saint Meinrad Class: LD 2006
John Dolin Cornwell, 74, passed away Saturday, March 9, 2019, at Harrison Springs Health Campus in Corydon, Indiana. He was born July 29, 1944, in Louisville, Kentucky, the son of James and Margaret Mary Gilmore Cornwell. He graduated from Our Lady of Providence High School, Clarksville; Bellarmine University, Louisville, with a BA degree in business; and St. Meinrad School of Theology, St. Meinrad, Indiana, with a master’s degree in theology. He worked for National City Bank (PNC) for 23 years, and was vice-president in charge of properties in Kentucky and southern Indiana. Upon retirement in 2001 and completion of his MA work at St. Meinrad in 2006, he taught Scripture for eight years, both for the Archdiocese of Indianapolis’s lay minister and permanent deacon programs and for members of parishes in Louisville and in southern Indiana. Mr. Cornwell served three years in the US Navy and later 13 years in the US Marine Reserve. He was a gunnery sergeant and tank commander in Desert Storm in 1991 and earned a bronze star for valor in combat. He was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church, Corydon, St. Meinrad Alumni Association, and Patoka Lake Sailing Club. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Patricia Happel Cornwell of Corydon, one daughter Lenora Heckel (Paul) of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, one granddaughter Emma Heckel of Minneapolis, Minnesota, and two brothers, Michael Cornwell (Molly) of Cleveland, Ohio, and Patrick Cornwell (Susan) of Bath, Ohio.