Mrs. ALBERT E. (Carrie B. Orr) CORNELL 1867-1961

ELLISON, ORR, CORNELL, WELZEL, LEUI

Posted By: Mary Durr (email)
Date: 6/21/2005 at 14:10:26

Mrs. ALBERT E. (Carrie B. Orr) CORNELL 1867-1961

Carrie Cornell

Funeral services were held Tuesday afternoon at the Community Presbyterian Church for Mrs. Carrie Cornell, 94, who passed away at the home of her son, Harvey, in Santa Fe, New Mexico on Friday, September 22. The Rev. Walter T. Martin was in charge of the rites; Eastern Star Services were held at the church; burial was in the Postville Cemetery.

Carrie B. Orr was born at the Orr homestead near Postville February 19, 1867, the sixth child of James and Margaret Ellison Orr, early pioneers who settled in Iowa in 1855.

After graduating from Postville high school, she taught in rural schools for two years, and in the Postville grade school for one year. She continued her musical studies with Clara Mott and then attended the Dubuque Academy of Music Following graduation she gave piano lessons in Postville and surrounding towns.

In her early teens she united with the Congregational Church and was an active leader in church activities, especially in music, as a choir member and organist, for 30 years. Her membership was transferred to the Community Presbyterian Church in July, 1951.

She was united in marriage to A. E. Cornell September 18, 1889. In January, 1913 they moved to Los Angeles where she lived until the death of Mr. Cornell in 1949. She then returned to Postville.

She was most active in club and social work in both Postville and Los Angeles. She was a charter member of the Postville Monday Club, organized in 1895, and it was her honor to be the first Worthy Matron of Postville Chapter No. 238 of the Order of Eastern Star in 1898.

The last few years she lived with her son, Harvey H. Cornell, in Santa Fe, New Mexico where she passed away at the age of 94, after a short illness. She is survived by her son, Harvey; his wife, Herdis; grandchildren, Harvey Jr. and Carole; and great granddaughter Wendy. Three brothers; Ellison, Darius and Frank Orr, and three sisters; Olive, Mary Alice Welzel and Jennie Leui, preceded her in death.

Postville Herald newspaper clipping, hand dated 1961, from my mother's obituary collection.