In lieu of flowers the family respectfully requests donations be made to Bradford Funeral Home to help offset the funeral expenses.
John Ray Cornwall Jr was born in Iowa City, Iowa on August 8, 1936 and entered into rest on December 27, 2022 making him 86 years 4 months and 21 days old. He was the son of John Cornwall Sr. and Josephine Tomlin Meadows. John worked a variety of jobs. He had fond memories and often spoke about painting houses with his grandfather as a “youngster”. He joined the Army out of high school. After his time in the army, he did auto body repair, a park ranger at Alley Springs, a policeman for the city of Summersville and many years at Mountain View Fabricating where he retired.
He didn’t speak of his childhood often but one story I loved hearing was how his mom and dad divorced and he stayed with his mom and his twin sister Joan had to go live with their father. Well he wasn’t having that. He was only 15 and he jumped a train, “like a hobo” and rode it to Iowa City where she was, he jumped off, went and took her from their father’s house. Then they jumped a train and headed back to Newton where they lived with their mom finishing out their teen years together again.
His passions include trout fishing, collecting knives and the Cubs. No one could sharpen a knife like he can using wet stones, it would shave the hair off of your arms and slice right through paper and fingers! He and Justin took many weekend trips to the Norfork River in Arkansas chasing that allusive lunker. He never missed an opening day at Montauk before his health started failing him. He loved his grandchildren always pulling pranks on them like placing plastic snakes under his bed to scare them, dancing with his granddaughter to polka music on Saturday nights and getting to go to a Cubs game with his Cardinal fan granddaughter, Ashley.
John was much loved by his twin sister’s children, Debbie Brant, Clifford Jr, (Mianne) Brant, Eddie (Betty) Brant, Jolene Retman, Gary Brant, James Brant, and Cory (Judy) Brant. To them Uncle John was an extension of their mother. They loved him for many reasons but first and foremost is because of how much he loved her. They enjoyed reminiscing about days gone by, vacations, fishing, reading and sharing western books.
While in the Army he completed short tour in Germany where he met and married Teresa Betz. To this union 2 sons were born Gary and John. They returned to the states and divorced shortly after.
He later met and married the love of his life Judy Perin Cornwall on June 30, 1966. After marrying they moved from Iowa City, Iowa eventually making their way to Summersville, Missouri where they have lived most of their married life. They have shared 56 years of marriage and 4 children: Josie, Justin, Jolene, and Jaclyn. They were always there standing side by side in good times and bad to lift one another up.
John was preceded in death by his twin sister Joan Brant, brother in law Clifford Brant, his father John Cornwall Sr, his mother and step dad Josephine and Hubert Meadows, Mother and Father in law Helen and Arnold Perin, grandchildren Colby Paulson, Kaylene, Austin, and Malcom.
He will be missed by his wife, Judy of the home, his son Gary (Joy) Paulson of Warsaw Ill, his son John (Connie) Paulson of Licking, Mo, his daughter Josie (Kevin) Blake of Summersville, his son Justin (Kathy) Cornwall of Houston, Mo, his daughter Jolene Turner of Licking, Mo and his daughter Jaclyn (Les) Downey of Licking Mo. 18 granchildren, Casey (Vince) Cooper, Jesse Miller, Lathem Paulson, Megan Paulson, Michelle Paulson, Ashley (Josh) Hall, Ryan (Marcella) Blake, Randall (Sam) Shafer, Shawn (Nichole) Patton, Cheyenne Richardson, Johnua Christopher, Justin (Eryn) Christopher, Mica (Michael) Downey, Mariah (Skoal) Smith, Leslie Downey, Izak Downey, Kaylyn Downey, and Abel Downey. 22 Great –grandchildren, Alivea, Hannah, Blake, Isabella, Lyla, Jameson, McKinley, Clara, Parker, Adley, Addison, Adlynn, Cannon, Sara, Jayden, Oceana, Layla, Phoenix, Journie, Jayla, Jose, Jace, Serenity and McCayla.
