Cornelius lived in Randolph his whole life. He graduated from MB Collegiate Institute, Winnipeg, in 1950. His mother taught him about faith in Jesus as she sang and played guitar. His father integrated Christian life into the everyday rigours of dairy farming. Cornelius listened to Back to the Bible from his youth. He was grateful to attend MB Bible College, Winnipeg, in the late 1950s. Steinbach MB Church ordained Cornelius Feb. 23, 1969. He sang 40 years in the church choir, taught Sunday school, led youth, served on church council, and was pastoral assistant. His sermons were prepared with diligence, and he set high expectations for his children. Cornelius formed a strong bond with daughter Johanna. In the 1990s, farm roles reversed; Cornelius worked for his sons. In retirement, he married many German-speaking couples. In 2008, Parkinson’s disease and an unsuccessful hip replacement made life difficult, but his sons respected and cared for him. Cornelius’s health declined after Christmas 2014 with the diagnosis of Johanna’s incurable cancer.
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