He grew up on the family farm and helped his father repair farm equipment. After graduating from Barnard High School, he held many short-term jobs until he enlisted in the US Army Air Corps in 1939. He was deployed to the Philippines as an aircraft mechanic at Clark Field. He was there when the Japanese attacked on December 7, 1941. He was captured by the Japanese Army in May 1942 on Mindanao and sent to Japan on a “Hell” Ship. He worked as slave laborer in several camps and finally liberated in September 1945.
After liberation, he returned to the States, and remained in the United States Air Force. He met and married Ruth Elizabeth Jordan in 1948 while stationed at Lowry Air Force Base. His postings included three years in Brazil, attached to the US Embassy, and various other posts in the United States. His three sons, Jon, James and Joseph were all born in military hospitals. He retired from the service in 1960 after 21 years in uniform.
The family moved to Pueblo, CO, where his mother and brother lived, and he worked at a lumber yard and at the Pueblo Army Depot, where he rebuilt tanks returned from Vietnam and as an electronics technician on missile systems. In 1967, the family moved to Denver where Hank worked in the Civil Service at Lowry AFB, as an electrician and maintaining the deactivated Titan II missile silos SE of Denver. He and Ruth became involved in Marriage Renewal and acted as Counselors for several years. During this time, Hank and the family spent many a summer weekend camping in the Colorado mountains.
In 1978, Hank retired from the Civil service and he and Ruth moved to Aurora, CO. In 1981, Hank and Ruth moved to a house that Hank built in Pagosa Springs, CO. They lived in Pagosa for ten years where Hank was on the City Council. In 1991, they moved to Longmont due to Ruth’s declining health and then in 1995 moved to Greeley. Ruth passed away in 1995.
He became involved in the Bridge Club at the Senior Center in Greeley and ended up teaching classes. It was here that he met Genie Payne and they were married in 2001. He was also active in the Northern Colorado Ex POW Association and went to Washington DC on an Honor Flight for WWII veterans. He travelled to Australia and took many cruises with Genie. Genie was diagnosed with cancer in 2010 and passed away in 2011.
After Genie’s death, he moved back to the Denver area to be closer to his sons. He lived in retirement centers in Lakewood, CO and passed away at The Villages of Belmar on November 13, 2019.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother John Elmer “Jack” Cornelison, step-sister Frances Anne Josephine Dolan and son Jon Lee Cornellisson. He is survived by daughter in law Celeste St Martin (Jon Lee), Son James Lynn Cornellisson (grandchildren Kathe, Robert and Melynnda, and 5 great grandchildren), and Son Joseph Leslie Cornellisson (Anne and their sons Samuel and Matthew).
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Fisher House.
DONATIONS
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18