Obituary: Cornilles, Gordon C.
Age 85
CORNILLES, Gordon C.
With a heavy heart, we are announcing the passing of Gordon C. Cornilles on April 21, 2016 due to pancreatic cancer.
We are thankful for the opportunity to have many of his family visit with him the past six weeks.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, August 20 at 10:30 a.m. at the Colfax United Methodist Church.
Urn committal with military honors and Masonic rites will follow at the Colfax Cemetery.
Gordon was born in Nampa, ID on June 8, 1930 to Clarence (Clady) and Roxie Cornilles.
He graduated from Nampa High School.
Gordon spent a year in the Naval Reserve, stationed in Hawaii.
One day while roller skating he met our mother, Jean Hindberg.
They married August 20th, 1949 in Nampa.
Their constant activity was having fun!
Gordon worked for Union Pacific several years.
Dad was away from home more often than not.
Our parents made a decision to sell our house in Nampa and moved our young family to live in a train car.
It was important to them to have our family stay together.
To Debbie and Brad this was a great adventure!
We had no electricity or running water however, we were together and we had fun!
Our adventures on the train ended with the upcoming birth of our brother, Cory.
Family was very important to both our parents.
After a breakfast of biscuits and gravy most Sunday mornings, we each were in the saddle for a daylong ride in the country.
We arrived home in the early evening and enjoyed a roast that had cooked slowly all day.
As a family, we also spent days boating on the Snake River and hiking throughout Laird Park.
Dad could fix anything.
One trip home from Nampa and Caldwell our car broke down.
Our dad fixed the problem with a piece of gum.
In 1959, Dad and our mother purchased the OK Tire Store in Colfax.
Before long Dad had connected with many of the local farmers.
Many years later they sold the Ok Tire and moved on to their next project, the Hot Tank Service.
After selling the Hot Tank business Dad retired….almost anyway.
He wanted to drive school bus and be the high school janitor.
He taught many newly hired drivers how to drive bus.
Dad loved interacting with the kids whether on the bus or at the high school.
As recently as last fall, his “kids” would approach Dad and tell him he drove their bus.
Each time this happened, his heart was warmed!
Gordon served our community in many ways.
Shortly after moving to Colfax he joined the Jay Cees.
He was an Elk for decades and served as Exalted Ruler.
Dad was a Mason decades as well, serving his term as Worshipful Master.
Dad was heavily involved with Boy Scouts.
He and other fathers took the Boy Scout Troop on a 50 mile hike through Glacier Park.
Everyone returned home with good memories and stronger.
Dad served as a volunteer for the Colfax Fire Department, again for decades.
He also served as Fire Chief and became an EMT for ambulance duty.
After the Elks closed on Saturday nights, Gordon and Jean invited their friends for a German sausage breakfast.
After eating, Dad would play either his guitar or banjo and all would join in song and laughter until the wee hours of the morning.
After Jean had her stroke, she sat on a stool in the kitchen and guided Dad how to make some of their favorite meals.
She was a great teacher and Dad was a great student!
Gordon loved to cook.
He was creative adding his own touch to many meals.
He also created his own meals.
No one could BBQ a hamburger as well as he could!
He created the best BBQ beans!
Dad also canned pickles.
He loved anything pickled!
Gordon had a workshop where he made countless items.
One of the sweetest things he made was an oak rocking chair for each of his grandchildren.
One of his rocking chairs has been used by not only one grandson, also three of his great-grandsons!
Dad loved to fish whether in a lake, a river or the ocean.
He had a fishing pole for any type of fishing and was always ready to go!
Dad connected with his grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and his great-nieces and nephews.
He loved showing them how to ride a 4 wheeler, fish or just hang out in his shop.
He always had time for the kids.
We were blessed to have him as our father.
Together, he and our mother were the best parents!
Gordon was preceded in death by his beloved wife Jean, his son Bradley Cornilles and his parents.
Gordon is survived by his daughter Debra St Clair, Spokane and his son Cory (Cathey) Cornilles, El Paso TX.
Gordon is also survived by his two sisters Barbara Hanel, Portland OR and Kay Silva, Yakima WA and his brother Jerry Cornilles(Darlene) Nampa, ID.
Gordon is also survived by his grandsons Jason St. Clair, Nathan Cornilles and Joel Cornilles and granddaughters Candace Pangman, Lacey Garibay, Nichole Rioux and Natasha Hays.
Gordon also leaves behind 13 great-grandchildren and his faithful grand-puppy, Chloe.
Memorial contributions in Gordon’s honor are suggested to the Whitman County Friends of Hospice, the Colfax United Methodist Church or to an organization that furthers research of pancreatic cancer.
BRUNING FUNERAL HOME of Colfax has been entrusted with funeral arrangements.
Online condolences may be left for the family at www.bruningfuneralhome.com