Clarence "Doc" Edward Cornutt

Clarence Edward “Doc” Cornutt, much beloved Husband, Father, Son, Brother, Uncle and Friend, was born April 18, 1949, in Pampa, Texas. He left us to be with His Heavenly Father on May 28, 2016, after bravely facing and living with the cruel disease of Frontal Lobe Dementia for 8 years. Throughout his life, so much of the influence of being raised in West Texas, stayed with him: he remained just a down-to-earth, outstanding man who loved Western People, Western Culture, Western Art, and Western Accents! His growing up years were spent in the same home that his beloved 98 year old mother lived in until her death in 2014: a house across the street from the 2 places most influential to his growing up years---Mary Ellen church of Christ and Pampa High School with its Football Stadium and Track! He was active in many things at Pampa High School: Captain of the Football Team, All-District Tackle, a top-state rated shot put thrower, National Honor Society, Acapella Chorus, FFA, Key and Rotary Clubs. Doc’s beloved father, Jim Cornutt, was killed in a gas well accident in 1959 when Doc was only 10 years old, but Doc felt and treasured his Dad’s presence in his life for always

.

During Doc’s senior year of high school, Doc was offered several scholarships, but he chose a football scholarship to OU, until there was a coaching change at OU. Doc, instead, decided to study PreMed and attend Abilene Christian University. While taking a business class under his life-long mentor, Dr. Overton Faubus as an underclassman, Doc changed his major to accounting and marketing, and graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1971 from Abilene Christian. While at ACU, Doc was awarded the Cal Young Scholarship, was selected to be a member of the Key Club, Alpha Chi, Dean’s List, Class Senator, Vice-President of the Frater Sodalis Men’s Club and the Business Club, and was listed as Who’s Who Among Colleges and Universities. Even as a Freshman, Doc volunteered at Abilene State School, and his servant heart was only the beginning of a life which could be primarily described as serving and giving back to others. It was during Doc’s freshman year at ACU, that a sophomore girl named Linda Core first saw this crazy and fun freshman, dancing in the aisle of a performance by the famous singing group, The Lettermen, at Sewell Hall.

Upon graduating magna cum laude from Abilene Christian, Linda and Doc married and settled in Dallas, and thus began their wonderful and exciting life together which lasted for almost 46 years.

It was at Arthur Anderson and Company that Doc was awarded his CPA and named a senior accountant, gaining fantastic accounting experience while auditing such companies as The Trammell Crow Company and Cullum Companies, owner of Tom Thumb. It was while working at Arthur Anderson that Doc met 2 men who would both become close and dear friends, who would later impact his life: Don Crisp and John Scovell. As a senior accountant, Doc was recruited by John Scovell, who himself had been recruited by Ray Hunt, to start a Hunt owned real estate company, Woodbine Development Corporation.

Doc would say, that without a doubt, his life long association with Ray Hunt and Hunt Consolidated, was one of the most significant blessings of his life. Doc would always say that Ray Hunt taught Doc the importance of surrounding oneself with persons of great ability and integrity. He also knew he worked for a man who valued God and his own wife, children and family above all, which truly made it a pleasure to work for Ray.

Doc’s years at Woodbine Development Corporation as Executive Vice President saw development of the Hyatt Regency Dallas, Reunion Tower, Hyatt Regency Ft. Worth, and the refurbishing of the historic Union Station downtown. From 1983 to 1993, Doc served as Chief Financial Officer of Hunt Oil Company. From 1984 to 1997, he was also Chairman of Hunt Refining Company, Hunt’s independent refining company headquartered in in Alabama and serving the southeastern United State. From 1993 to 1997, He served as President of Hunt’s real estate investment company, Hunt Realty Corporation and private investment vehicle, Hunt Financial Corporation. From 1997 until his illness forced retirement, Doc served as Chairman and CEO of Argent Property Company, an organization he formed in partnership with an affiliate of Hunt Realty Corporation in Dallas to develop and invest in strategically located business/industrial parks, industrial properties, and industrial portfolio companies. Argent developed four of the largest industrial parks in Dallas-Ft. Worth, along with having an active presence in the Rio Grande Valley. Argent was honored by the Dallas Business Journal as one of the top 10 industrial companies in the Dallas metroplex area.

Doc served on the board and as Chairman of the Board at Dallas Christian Schools. He served on the Board of Trustees and then as Chairman of the Board of Trustees at Abilene Christian University.

Doc’s involvement in civic affairs includes serving United Way, Leadership Dallas, the Strategic Issues Committee of the Dallas Chamber of Commerce, the Economic Development Advisory Board for the City of Dallas, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Goodwill Industries of Dallas, and Executive Board of the Dallas Summer Musicals. He has served on the board of the National Association of Office Parks, and was involved in various other professional associations, including the American Petroleum Institute, the Real Estate Council, and the Urban Land Institute.

Doc felt that the most meaningful and memorable times in his life were spent with his family on vacations to Wyoming and Montana, where they rode horses, fished, hiked, and played hours of board games together. He also valued his times as a Cub Scout Leader and participating with his children in Indian Guides with Chris, and Indian Princess Program with Sara and Shelly, along with going on two Trek Adventures with Chris and the Skillman Youth.

Doc loved the Lord first, and his family second, and felt blessed to serve as a Deacon, Sunday School Teacher and Elder at their church home, Skillman Church of Christ. The most important blessings in Doc and Linda’s life, upon getting married, was finding a church home at Skillman Church of Christ, and then becoming the parents of the most precious children ever: Sara, Chris, and Shelly Cornutt. Skillman has been Doc and Linda and their childrens’ church home for their entire lives in Dallas. They have never lacked for an environment which nurtured their Spiritual Growth, their Emotional Growth, and their growth as a Family, and they found a church family that taught them that life was not about receiving, but giving and serving others to God’s Glory.

If Doc and Linda could say something that would sum up what they would want their legacy to be to their family and friends, it would be that having a Relationship and Daily Walk with Jesus Christ is THE most important Choice in one’s life. Doc and Linda prayed faithfully that their children, grandchildren and our acquaintances in life would have Him as Lord of Their Lives.

Doc and Linda thank their faithful brother, Blaine Armstrong, for showing them and others the meaning of faithful friendship. For Doc’s entire illness, Blaine took Doc to lunch and on fun excursions, and when Doc was living on the memory floor at Sunrise, Blaine faithfully visited him daily. Doc and Linda also thank the caregivers at Sunrise Hillcrest for their loving care for almost 2 years. Doc and Linda also will never forget the loving care that was given both of them by Doc’s Neurologist and Dear Friend, Alan Martin.

Doc is survived by the love of his life, Linda; his daughters Sara Cornutt Boucher and Shelly Cornutt Goguen and husband, Beren; son Chris Cornutt and wife Resa; 5 precious grandchildren Beau Liles, Caroline Boucher, Connor Everett and Jacob Cornutt, and Brooks Clarence Goguen. Also sister Molly Goodwin, brother Dr. James Cornutt, sister and brother in laws Emy and Jim Stewart and Rob and Sandy Core, and cousin Jerry and Patsy Strader.

Visitation will be at Sparkman Hillcrest on Tuesday, May 31st, from 5:00-6:30 pm. A celebration of Doc’s wonderful life will be held at Skillman Church of Christ on Wednesday, June 1st, at 1:00 pm, with a reception to follow. Online condolences may be made at www.Sparkman-Hillcrest.com.