David E. Cornelius

David E. Cornelius was born December 3, 1945, at Northwest Texas Hospital in Amarillo, Texas. He grew up in Excel with his parents, Harvey Joe and Lavon Burge Cornelius, and his older brother, Kennith Wayne. His father worked in the helium operation. The family moved to Amarillo when David was in junior high, and he attended Sam Houston and Crockett Junior High Schools and Tascosa High School.At Tascosa, David met the love of his life, Virgina “Ginger” McInnis. He met her at a band party he had crashed after taking a female foreign exchange student home early. In school, David was often known as Kennith Wayne’s younger brother—a distinction he didn’t always appreciate. Once, when a teacher asked if Ken was his brother, she immediately shouted, “Get out of my class, now!” David later learned why: she had been a first-year teacher and had tried to swat Ken after he threw himself against the lockers, pleading, “Please, please don’t hit me like that again!” She was mortified David and Ginger went on “Coke dates” and attended Tascosa Baptist Church. Unknown to each other at the time, they each felt separately that God had told them they would marry. They learned of this shared experience only long after their wedding. In November of Ginger’s senior year, they went shopping for a ring together and became engaged. David began college at West Texas State University, now West Texas A&M University, and worked at a gas station to save money for furniture for their home. He and Ginger were married on August 5, 1966, at her parents’ home. David graduated from WTSU in May 1968 and had joined ROTC while in college. After graduation, David entered the U.S. Army. He completed Officer Candidate School, Infantry School, and jungle training in Panama before serving a year in Vietnam. After returning, he left active duty and continued in the Army Reserves for a total of 38 years. He rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel before retiring. His military decorations included the Bronze Star; Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal, awarded five times; National Defense Service Medal; Army Service Ribbon; Armed Forces Reserve Medal; Army Overseas Service Ribbon; Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal with silver 1960 device; U.S. Army Commendation Medal; and Meritorious Service Medal. Following active duty, David returned to his career as a supervisory chemist in the Bureau of Mines Helium Program. He worked there for 38 years before retiring. Of all the things David loved, only two meant more to him than his country: Jesus and his family. After returning to Amarillo from military service, he became an active member of First Baptist Church Amarillo. He was ordained as a deacon and served until his stroke. After retiring, he joined Gideons International and distributed Bibles throughout the Texas Panhandle. He believed God’s Word could change anyone’s life if they had access to it. He was always looking for ways to plant seeds of faith including helping build a church in Rociada, NM and going on a mission trip with Ginger to Chile where God led him to witness to a Chilean military officer and family.

After raising three daughters, David and Ginger were blessed with two grandsons that were bundles of energy!! His eyes would light up every chance he got to spend with them. Then years later, they were blessed with three granddaughters that became the apples of his eye. He definitely had a very special place in his heart for all of them. Then in November of 2024, his eyes lit up again when he met his first great-grandson, River. He was so very proud of him. Music was a lifelong joy for David. From a young age, he played piano by ear. He later led a country-western band that performed for Amarillo’s 45-Uppers senior club for 35 years. He also played every Sunday during the opening of Sunday School class. People loved to hear him play. In June 2017, David suffered a debilitating carotid stroke, a profound blow to him and his family. He met the difficult years that followed with perseverance. He continued to sing God’s praises and recite the Lord’s Prayer at the dinner table. Through it all, he remained an inspiration to many.

David and Ginger raised three daughters: Jana Kay Cornelius Detrick and her husband, Chad Detrick; Melissa Ann Cornelius Caudle; and Dr. Dena Cornelius and her husband, Dr. Lance Trahern. His family grew to include five grandchildren—Austin Detrick and his wife, Lindsey; Cortlyn Detrick and his wife, Kylynn; Kylee Detrick; Rachel Trahern; and Claire Trahern—and two great-grandchildren.

David was preceded in death by his parents, Harvey Joe Cornelius in 2005 and Lavon Burge Cornelius in 2012; his brother, Kennith Wayne Cornelius in 2012; and his son-in-law, Bradley Alan Caudle in 2021. The family would like to give very special thanks to VA CLC, VA HBPC staff, Visiting Angels, BSA Hospice, and Adrianne Kozar for the love and care that they all gave to him through all the trials of post-stroke care.

In lieu of flowers, the family would like to ask for donations to be made to Gideons International for bibles to distribute to those in need of God’s Word.