Lawrence Cornelius, 88

Lawrence Cornelius, 88, passed to eternal life on Feb. 10, 2022 at St. Luke's Extended Care in Ronan. He was born at home west of Ronan on April 1, 1933 to Peter and Myrtle Cornelius. He was the youngest of eight children by 12 years. He grew up on the family farm and graduated from Ronan High School in 1951.

Lawrence married Lorraine Salomon on Sept. 6, 1953 at St. Paul Lutheran Church, which they attended for many years. They were blessed with five children. Life was busy with farming and the children. His faith remained important to him throughout his life, longing to be with Lorraine again over his final year.

Lawrence and Lorraine owned and operated a dairy farm west of Ronan throughout their working years. Summers were filled with haying, irrigating and combining, as well as ongoing dairy tasks. Spring was planting, and fall was preparing for winter and hunting season. Winter was memorable with frozen mornings and the need to feed livestock and break ice open to water them. Lawrence was engaged in how to improve farming methods — moving through different ways to house and feed cattle, harvesting of hay, and irrigation approaches.

Each year he found a few summer days to go camping in the Missions, complete with pack animals, which was the crowning event for him with his boys — fishing, hiking and cooking over an open fire. On summer Sundays he often took his children to ski on Flathead Lake, and in later years he spent time enjoying the pool with them. Lawrence was supportive of his children’s 4H and FFA activities. He had been active in FFA, becoming a state officer and reaching the level of American Farmer.

He was an active supporter of the Ronan Boosters Club, and he volunteered at track meets and various tournaments in the school gym. In his retirement years he enjoyed a lot of golf and was also busy with a garden filled with squash, pumpkins, sweet corn and the delightful baskets of strawberries eagerly consumed by his grandchildren on numerous occasions. He enjoyed his large lawn with his double mower (toy) and giving rides on his 4-wheeler to great-grandchildren, whom he delighted in. Dancing was also a favorite activity in his later years.

Lawrence was preceded in death by his wife, Lorraine (March 4, 2021); parents Peter and Myrtle; brothers John, Jim and Ray; and sisters Emma, Clara, Charity and Myrtle. He is survived by his children, Carlene (Gene) Vey, Diana Cornelius, Kathy Cornelius, Bill (Marla) Cornelius, Ken (Renae) Cornelius; and their grandchildren, Greg, Joanna, Brooke, Lindsey and Lily. He is also survived by his great-grandchildren, Grace, Jordan, Kate, Olivia, Rose, Will, Raeger, Ella, Luke, Elaina, Genevieve and James, as well as numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

Funeral services for Lawrence will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, Feb. 18 at Faith Lutheran Church in Ronan, with burial to follow at the Ronan Cemetery. Memories and condolences may be sent to the family at www.shriderthompson.com.

Arrangements are under the care of Shrider – Thompson Funeral Home.