Dale E. Cornell

When Dale E. Cornell walked into the room, those in his company felt a palpable energy. This was just one of many qualities Dale had and how he impacted those around him. He was a clever and gregarious person who always sought out the finest attributes in other people. It was as if he wanted to share in all of their experiences, revel in their lives, and celebrate their discoveries. Dale was tireless and seemed to have a boundless enthusiasm that served him well throughout his life.

Growing up for Dale was like one big burst of spontaneity personified. He would join in with friends and family in just about anything. This made his life quite interesting and led to what would be a wide variety of memories. Dale was born on June 4, 1947. He first greeted the world in Portland, Oregon at the old St. Vincent Hospital. His parents were Edward "Woody" Cornell and Ethel Marie Cornell. He grew up in Portland, Oregon and Lewistown, Montana. Dale had a great sense of humor and was a natural entertainer, able to keep the people around him amused with stories and tales. While some who knew Dale might have described him as an idealist, his friends and family understood well that he was always in pursuit of life’s endless possibilities and opportunities.

Dale was very accepting and supportive of his family. He was perceived as the central person in his family in terms of keeping communication open between the family members. Whenever discord or tension arose within the home, he was typically the person who tried to bring resolution and harmony. This quality, along with his quick wit, outgoing personality, and understanding of people were traits that drew the admiration of others and served Dale well in his adult life. He was raised with two siblings. Dale had an older brother, James, and a younger sister, Sharon. He was also close to other family members.

Even as a young boy, Dale was able to empathize and identify with many different kinds of people. This quality drew him into a diverse group of friends and acquaintances. He was intelligent and had little trouble getting along with his peers. He was almost always the first to jump in when it came to playing games or participating in other childhood activities. An active child, he belonged to Boy Scouts. Some of his favorite hobbies were Ham radio, catching pigeons and riding his Harley.

During his high school years, Dale responded enthusiastically to any new project and was normally in search of one adventure after another. He graduated from Jefferson High School. He was a very good student, and generally did well in his courses. Dale absorbed as much as he could from all of his teachers and was consistently able to tackle conceptual and abstract problems using his imagination to master his assignments. For him, school often became just an extension of playtime, thanks to his ability to turn just about anything into a game. Classmates considered Dale a good listener, knowing that when necessary, they could go to him to discuss just about anything. Dale really loved Mrs. Swift's class. He went to the World's Fair in Seattle, Washington with his classmates.

For Dale, his life was just about as busy outside of high school as it was inside. With a talent for making friends easily, Dale was very sociable and could blend without effort into any number of different social groups. Assertive and outgoing, he was easy to know and often demonstrated a deep concern for others. He always seemed aware of what was going on with people around him and throughout his life he made many, many friends.

He learned about taking responsibility during this time of his life.

Dale was very adaptable, a quality that helped him make the transition from high school to college with little difficulty. He did well in college, as a result of his love of learning and the ability to tackle new theories and concepts. This love of learning and desire to take on new challenges helped him as he waded his way through all of his classes.

One of the best things about being in college is that it allowed Dale the opportunity to explore and learn beyond the classroom walls.

During college he had no trouble making new friends and acquaintances. Some of his best friends during this time were Louie and Cliff. He was compassionate, accommodating, and quick to move into action.

As is the case with most people, Dale had some stories about his college living arrangements.

Despite his heavy involvement in many arenas, Dale still managed to do a little traveling during class breaks.

Dale was quite sensitive in all of his relationships. Bonnie June Cornell discovered this firsthand.

He exchanged vows with Bonnie June Cornell on September 14, 1990. They were married in Vancouver, Washington at the Hostess House Chapel.

Following the wedding, the couple enjoyed themselves on their honeymoon.

Dale's skill at “building bridges” played an important role in his ability to make his new family happy. He was quite sensitive towards Bonnie's needs, showing his constant concern and fondness. Dale was tenderhearted and sensitive, qualities that served him well in helping to nurture his family. During those first years together, he and Bonnie lived rather modestly.

Throughout his life, Dale was actively involved in professional and community organizations. Always able to build a consensus, he usually seemed to be the person in the middle of things, working to achieve goals. Those who had the opportunity to work with him usually agreed that when you were involved in an organization with him, it was as entertaining as anything you could imagine.

He always seemed willing to join in and help, regularly getting involved in community activities. His gifts of planning and improvisation, along with a talent for rallying support, made him a great asset. He found new ways of getting things done in order to help make just about every activity more efficient and enjoyable. Dale was an active member of several community groups.

Dale was a natural and creative parent who wanted to provide his family with all sorts of new and interesting experiences. For him, parenting was a particularly enjoyable and pleasurable part of his life. Every activity, from chores to bedtime routines, became a game in their home. Dale's skill at understanding his family members’ feelings, his sensitivity to their needs, and his gift for gentle persuasion enabled him to find novel solutions to any of the various family problems or situations that might have arisen. Dale had two step-children, Bryan and Eva.

Because Dale was so attuned to his family, and especially the kids, he worked hard to raise them in a nurturing environment. In return for the energy he spent, the children often provided him with a great deal of pride and joy.

Later in life, he was also blessed with four grandchildren, Ethan, Erin, Griffen and Abigayle.

Dale was uplifted by new ideas. New possibilities always seemed to excite him. These were traits which made him an exceptional worker. Dale’s primary occupation was working as a tool and die maker.

Though Dale didn’t go out of his way to seek out personal accolades, they seemed to just naturally come to him.

Like in other aspects of his life, Dale was able to make friends easily in the workplace.

He was enterprising, inventive, and often energized when working against deadlines. His colleagues saw him as a supporter and a mentor.

Dale loved to have a broad variety of activities in his life, and he pursued numerous hobbies. Some of his favorite hobbies were cooking, traveling, fishing, hunting, and hiking. He had a knack for being able to multi-task in order to create time for all of his favorite pastimes. However, Dale's ever-present concern for others always took precedent.

He enjoyed many things throughout his life. Dale loved to travel. Some of his favorite vacations included: Europe, Austrailia, New Zealand, Canada, Alaska, South Pacific, Africa, many national parks and many states in the U. S.

Dale derived much satisfaction from participating in and watching sports. His charisma, supportive nature, and ability to help all made perfect attributes for enjoying a great many sporting activities. He also enjoyed watching his favorite teams and events whenever he got the opportunity.

Dale was a man who was devoted to his faith. Dale was raised Catholic. He was sympathetic and able to empathize with others and he used these qualities to the fullest while working tirelessly for his beliefs.

Planning ahead for retirement, Dale handled it the way he usually did. He adapted and, like everything in his life, made it satisfying. The day finally arrived in 2004. Since he was such a flexible person and able to adjust to any situation, retirement was just another enjoyable change of pace for Dale to experience. He retired in Clackamas, Oregon. After retirement, he did more travrling and watched more TV.

Even in retirement he found it easy to make new friends. He continued to stay in touch with his old friends and, like always, made plenty of new ones. Animals were also a part of his life in retirement, especially Snoopy, his big fluffy white cat and Milo, his yellow cat. He had the cats for 16 years.

Being active was something Dale continued to do in retirement.

Dale Cornell left us on March 19, 2011. He passed away at home, with his family at his side. He was 63 years old. He is survived by his wife, Bonnie; step-children, Bryan and Eva; step-grandchildren, Ethan, Erin, Griffen and Abigayle. Services were handled by Lincoln Memorial Park and Funeral Home. Dale was laid to rest at Lincoln Mremorial Park.

There was always a certain style and inventiveness to Dale. He was a dynamic, self-expressive person who was forever looking to celebrate the endless possibilities life had to offer. He had a knack for being clever, creative, and witty. For others, he was a joy to be around. While he was often fiercely independent, many others looked to him for inspiration, leadership, wisdom, and even courage. Dale E. Cornell was always more than willing to share life’s experiences with those he loved.