Edward M. Cornell Jr.

CORNELL, Edward M. Jr. Age 86. Former Mayor of Park Ridge NJ, born 1930, in West New York, NJ, to Florence and Edward M. Cornell, Sr.; raised in Cliffside Park, NJ, brother to Sister June Catherine Cornell (A.K.A. Sister Mary David) of the Sisters of Charity, now deceased. He is survived by his loving wife of 56 years, Dolores M. (Berow) Cornell; Proud to be the father of June M. Gallagher, wife of James Gallagher of Wyckoff, Denise M. Lion, wife of Robert Lion of Riverdale (previously of Waldwick), and Elisé M. Schneider, wife of Daniel Schneider of Harrington Park, and grandfather to nine of finest grandchildren alive, James Cornell Cooke, Shannon M. Cooke, Daniel Schneider Jr., and Christian Schneider. Danielle M. Lion, Jillian M. Lion, Anthony “AJ” Gallagher, Samantha M. Gallagher, and Haley M. Gallagher.

After marriage in Poland, Ohio, the Cornell’s lived in Teaneck NJ before settling in Park Ridge in 1966. Ed was a Parishioner of Our Lady of Mercy Church in Park Ridge; he was member of the American Legion, Post 153, and a Third Degree Knights of Columbus 1959 in Struthers, Ohio. During WWII as a teenager he volunteered and served in the United States Air Warning Service, Graduated from Saint Cecilia High School, Class of 1949, in Englewood NJ; inducted into the Saint Cecilia Hall of Fame; attended Fairleigh Dickinson University; Columbia School of Broadcasting in Los Angeles California; graduated from Rutgers University, received a Bachelor of Arts Degree, Political Science Major.

He volunteered for draft and joined the Army in 1951, attended the Adjutant General’s School in Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana; served as Sergeant Major of Group and Battalion Headquarters in the US Army Corp of Engineers, SCARWAF (Special Category Army With the Air Force), during the Korean War.

He was honored to be elected to the Park Ridge council in 1970, serving as Council President and Police Commissioner; later elected to serve two terms as Mayor from 1971-1975; completed the installation of sanitary sewers in the borough; and served as Chairman of the Board of Park Ridge Utilities, a borough owned public utility serving the community with electric and water; He instituted reduced electric and water rates for qualified senior citizens allowing them to continue to live in their homes; a strong advocate of regional cooperative services and privatization; directed the change of Public Service Electric & Gas Co., to Park Ridge to change the supplier of electricity from Rockland Electric; Ed was the founder and Chairman of the Northern New Jersey Regional Electric Rate Council (23 Communities) during the oil crises of the 1970's.

He Established the Triboro Council 1971-1974 to develop ways by which three communities could save taxpayers the expense of duplicate services; his administration Rezoned Park Ridge and planned and zoned the 60 acre Bears Nest parcel of land, which later developed into luxury condominiums and office and research.

In 1975, Ed was appointed by the Bergen County Freeholders, to the Bergen County Board of Transportation-serving as Vice President 1975-1976; served as President of Bergen County Democratic Mayor’s Association; President of the Pascack Valley Mayors Association 1974-1975; Chairman of NJ Assembly District 39, 1976-1977; forty-two years as member of the New Jersey Conference of Mayors, and member of the American Legion Post in Park Ridge.

Appointed by Governor, Brendan Byrne as Deputy Commissioner of the NJ Department of Community Affairs serving from 1976-1982; Responsibilities included the Divisions of: Local Government Services; Aging; Housing; State & Regional Planning and Division on Women. Served as a Delegate to the Governor’s Conference on Aging developing National and State Policy on Aging.

Ed, also served the State of New Jersey as a member to the following agencies: State of New Jersey Governor’s Pinelands Review Committee, Member of the Governor’s Development Disabilities Council; Represented the Department of Community Affairs on the Atlantic City Task Force, and the Governor’s Cabinet Committee on Atlantic City during the planning and development stages of gaming; the Atlantic City Urban Area Transportation Study Committee; Tri-State Regional Planning Commission; Delaware Regional Planning Commission; The N.J./Cuban Flotilla, Task Force; and New Jersey Special Olympics Committee.

After leaving State government, Ed became a Lobbyist, and Executive Director of the Waste Management Association of New Jersey Inc, 1982-2000, served as President of this trade association representing privately owned solid waste collection, disposal and recycling companies. Lobbied for legislation that benefitted the members and the public. Ed was Chief Negotiator representing management during Union negotiations. Joined with the national solid waste industrial group and NJ Mayors against costly State Waste Flow regulations, successfully winning a case before the Supreme Court of the United States of America, (Carbone v. The State of New Jersey)

The family will receive their relatives and friends at Becker Funeral Home, 219 Kinderkamack Road, Westwood, NJ on Thursday, August 11 from 2-4 & 7-9PM. The Funeral Mass celebrating Ed's life and faith will be held at Our Lady of Mercy R.C. Church, Park Ridge, NJ on Friday, August 12 at 10AM. Interment will be private.