Ed Everett Cornell

Edwin Everett Cornell, 94, born in Schenectady, NY, United States, passed away January 23, 2021. He resided in La Crescenta, CA at the time of his passing. Ed was born to parents James I. and Inez (Profit) Cornell. He lived in New Jersey most of his childhood. In April 1944 he enlisted at 18 years old into the Army Air Corps in Yaphank, New York during World War II and studied radar and was a sharpshooter. He had many memories of being in Biloxi, Mississippi and being so hot. After the war was over, he stayed enlisted for a few more months and in 1946 he married the love of his life Carol Florence Mott in New Jersey. They moved to Massachusetts where he attended Worcester Tech and they had their first daughter Linda. He then attended Rutgers University and earned a degree in Business Administration, Management. After college and due to his knowledge of radar from the Army he worked for the Sperry Corporation In New York where they had their second daughter Susan in 1952. Later he was transferred to the Sperry Corporation in Bountiful Utah where they had their third daughter Joy In 1958. Work then led him to California where he settled in La Crescenta, CA and worked for Lockheed. This is where they had their fourth daughter Sally in 1967. He loved to say that he had a daughter in four different states. He also worked for Hughes Helicopters and McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) for many years. He mainly worked in Human Resources as an HR Manager during his career.
In 1993 he lost his beloved wife Carol after 47 years of marriage. He continued to live in the same house in La Crescenta for a total of 57 years. He suffered from Macular Degeneration in the last part of his life making it difficult to see and to live alone. It was during this time that his sister, Jean Cornell moved from Florida to California to live with him. During the last year and a half Ed lived at the Belmont Village in Burbank where he thoroughly enjoyed the last part of his life. He loved meeting people and getting to know them. Despite his eyesight he remained very independent and very sharp mentally until the end. He could recall all the relevant information that was needed from memory including bank account numbers, tv channels and phone numbers. Also, after two days of being in assisted living we asked him if someone helped him to the dining hall and he said no. He got down there himself as he was able to see the doorways in the hallway enough to count them, so he knew where to turn. Trivia was a strong point, and he was commonly the Trivial Pursuit champion at The Belmont.
Ed and Carol attended The Church of Lighted Window, now known as the First Congregational Church of La Canada for many years. They were very involved in the church and had many friends there. The church was important to him especially after the passing of his wife Carol. Ed sang in the church choir and was involved in many committees. He was mostly known by everyone for his jokes, the kind of jokes where he would start telling you what you thought was a news story, and then it would end in a terrible pun usually. We called his joke recall "the mental rolodex of jokes in his head" with topical jokes that matched the conversation. These were not always great jokes and when a sense that a joke was coming on, his daughters would plead him to stop. He got such a kick out of this. When asked where he heard these jokes he would commonly say from church or choir!
Music was his happiness, especially Big Band and Jazz music. For his 90th birthday we had some Jazz musicians come to his party at the church and he sat in a chair right next to them thoroughly enjoying the music, oblivious to everything around him.
Ed is survived by his sister Jean Cornell, his four daughters Linda Zappia, Susan Dobson, Joy Garcia and Sally Veres; his five grandchildren, Tony Trujillo, Robyn Palsgrove, Serena Dobson, Ryan Veres and Samantha Veres. He had five great grandchildren, Ashley Trujillo, Allison Trujillo, Lucas Palsgrove, James Palsgrove, and Lillianna Palsgrove. He cherished his son in laws, Rocco Zappia, Joe Dobson, Dan Garcia and Rob Veres.
Arrangements are under the direction of Forest Lawn, Hollywood Hills, California.