Cornellia Gordon

Cornellia Gordon, age 89, of Kokomo, Indiana passed away on Wednesday, July 16, 2025. She was born on April 5, 1936 in Clearmont, Illinois to Delta Everett and Lena Myrtle (Shinn) Holloway. She was the eighth of twelve children. She moved to Kokomo when she was five years old and lived in Kokomo the rest of her life. She attended Columbine grade school and Kokomo High School. On November 9, 1952 she married Tilford J. Arnett, they had four children. Tilford passed away in January of 1978 during the blizzard of '78, the result of an automobile accident. On April 5, 1985 she married Gerald Gordon who passed away on November 9, 2017.

Surviving are her two daughters, Lucy Ellen (the late, Ed) Bishop of Kokomo, Cathy Jo (Thomas) Boyle of Port Charlotte, FL; grandchildren, Crystal (Timothy) Delello of Ohio, Patrick (Robin) Boyle, Bonnie (Robert) Rooney, Gary (Charity) Boyle, Elizabeth (Jacob) Sickmond, Peter (Brittany) Boyle and Andrew (Elisabeth) Boyle all of Florida; three step-grandchildren, Troy Bishop, Kimberly Bailey, Tamara (John) Dees all of Indiana; 41 great-grandchildren; 12 great-great-grandchildren; brother, Danny Joe Holloway of Munster, Indiana.

She was preceded in death by her beloved husbands, Tilford J. Arnett Sr., Gerald "Jerry" Gordon; beautiful daughter, Bonnie Sue Arnett in 1977; wonderful son, Tilford J. Arnett Jr. in 2006. Also preceding her in death were her parents; 7 sisters, Faye Catterton, Clara Bowman, Christine White, Eva Wright, Roberta Ralph, Evelyn Barnett and Lucy Ellen Holloway; 3 brothers, Robert Holloway, Charlie Holloway, and Billy Holloway.

Cornellia had been a landlady and managed her farm since 1962. She worked at McClellans 5 and 10 cent store right out of high school, then Delco Electronics for ten years before quitting to raise her family, her most rewarding job. She was happiest when her grandchildren and great-grandchildren came to visit. She loved entertaining with a Christmas open house and family dinners at her house. She loved flowers and gardening, also writing and receiving letters, a dying art. She loved animals. If a stray made their way to her farm they had a good home for life.

The family would like to extend a thank you to the staff at Waterford Health Campus for their care and compassion.

A public visitation for Cornellia will be held Tuesday, July 22, 2025 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM at Sunset Memory Garden Funeral Home, 2097 West Alto Road, Kokomo, IN 46902. A funeral service will occur at 2:00 PM officiated by her oldest grandson, Pastor Patrick Allen Boyle. Entombment will follow.