Donald Louis Cornish (1931-2020)

CORNISH, SPECHT, BANCK

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 7/28/2020 at 19:58:56

Donald Louis Cornish, 89, of Dubuque, went to be with God on Saturday, July 25, 2020, at Luther Manor. Mass of Christian Burial will be 11 a.m. Saturday, August 1, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 2215 Windsor Ave., Dubuque, and will be live-streamed on the Egelhof, Siegert & Casper Westview Funeral Home Facebook page. Masks are required by the church. Friends may greet the family from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Saturday, August 1, at Egelhof, Siegert & Casper Westview Funeral Home and Crematory, 2659 JFK Rd., Dubuque. Interment will be in Mount Calvary Cemetery. Military honors will be accorded by the American Legion Post #6.

Donald was born May 28, 1931 in Dubuque, the son of Louis and Helen (Specht) Cornish. Donald attended Sacred Hearth School. He married his sweetheart, Jean Ann Banck on June 14th, 1952 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Don was employed at the Dubuque Packing Company as a meat worker until his retirement in 1986. On weekends, he painted houses with his father. Don purchased and renovated two houses into apartments. Don and Jean Ann worked together to create the dream of the life they wanted. Together, they designed and built a house to raise a family in and moved into it in 1959. Don worked hard so Jean Ann could stay home and be a wife and mother. He treated her like a princess, and with great respect. Don always thought that Jean Ann had the harder job. They enjoyed traveling every summer with their children, and visited many states over the years.

Don served in the National Guard and received the National Defense Service Medal. He also served his country from Oct. 1953- Jan. 1956 with the U.S. Army during the Korean War, earning his Rifle Sharpshooter Badge and the rank of Cpl. E-4. While stationed in Verdun, France, he traveled to nine countries. He took many slides of the scenery and people. Don enjoyed meeting people and spoke of how grateful they were that the Americans were there.

He loved to play baseball as a child, and for the Dubuque Packing Company he was the “clean up batter”. He instilled this love for baseball in his sons, and would attend all their games. He also enjoyed hunting with his father and friends all his life. Don looked forward to the two weeks every year he traveled to South Dakota to hunt pheasant with Rick and Steve. Fishing was another favorite pastime, and he had the opportunity to fish with Karen in the ocean. Don bowled for many years in a Men’s League and Mixed Doubles with his wife and children. Don and Jean Ann would go out country dancing every Saturday night. He loved listening to country and Irish music. Pat recalls her special conversations with Don on their Friday “shopping sprees”, and relaxing at Music In The Park on Sundays.

After retirement, Don didn’t stop working. He would buy cars, and with his friends would fix them and sell them. He also became a Day Trader, and loved to talk about the stock market. In 2014, he went on one of the last Honor Flights to Washington D.C. Don was a very energetic and sociable man, who was always on the go, and loved to meet people and talk, and had a love of life. Don was a smart man and enjoyed challenging himself to accomplish any task, but he also had a teasing sense of humor and like to tell jokes. His family was his pride and joy, and he showed his love not so much in words but by his actions.

He will be truly, deeply missed by his wife, family, and friends. The family he is so proud of includes his loving wife of 68 years, Jean Ann Cornish, of Dubuque; four children, Rick (Mitzi) Cornish of Dubuque, Karen Cornish of Melbourne, FL, Pat Richey of Dubuque, and Steve (Carolyn) Cornish of Dubuque; grandchildren Ami (Chad) Guler of Hazel Green, WI, Christian (Kayla) Cornish of Green Bay, WI, Sorcha Cornish-Carpenter of Cannon Falls, MN, Danielle Richey of Dubuque, Brandon (Lindsey) Richey of Cedar Rapids, Nicole Richey of Dubuque, and Elijah Cornish of Dubuque; grandchild in law, Josh Lynch of Asbury; 13 great grandsons; 4 great granddaughters; his sisters in law Dorothy Gray of Dubuque, Rita (James) Moran of Dubuque; and Kay (Dennis) Strumberger of Omaha, NE; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his sister and brother in law, Darlene (Cornish) and Merlin “Mac” Langkamp; granddaughter Sam (Cornish) Lynch; and his parents. Don’s family would like to thank the nurses and staff at Luther Manor and Hospice of Dubuque.

Memorials may be made to Hospice of Dubuque.

Condolences and memories may be shared at www.egelhofsiegertcasper.com