Phyllis M. Cornelius, 89, of Industry died at 7 a.m. July 2, 2025, at her home.Phyllis M. Cornelius, 89, of Industry died at 7 a.m. July 2, 2025, at her home.
She was born on the family farm south of Vermont on June 30, 1936, the second child of three in a multi-generational farming family (daughter of Lester and Marjorie Easley).
Surviving are her husband Marion; one son, Steven (and Michelle) Cornelius of Wasila, Alaska; one daughter, Teresa (and Scott) Ramsey of Houston, Texas; one brother, Ronald (and Sheila) Easley of the Philippines; two grandchildren, Miranda (and Zach) Cornelius-Fisse of San Valley, Ariz., and Paige (and Jaden) Holcombe of Houston, Texas; and three great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by one brother, Roger Easley.
She attended Freeman School through 1947, then VIT High School, graduating in 1954. Following high school, she attended nursing school at Memorial Hospital in Springfield, graduating as a Registered Nurse in 1957. After graduation, she practiced in Doctor A.E. Steer’s office in Springfield.
She married Marion Cornelius on Dec. 27, 1959, in Vermont, while continuing to work as a nurse in Springfield. In 1962, they relocated to Macomb. She continued as a floor nurse at McDonough District Hospital, eventually advancing to supervisor of nursing on the 3-11 shift until the birth of her daughter in 1967. She returned to nursing as a surgical nurse in 1970 at MDH.
In 1983, she retired from MDH and she and Marion acquired a small lumber yard in Industry which became known as C & E Lumber. Over time, she added a craft store to this enterprise. Both managed the establishment for a few years.
From 1982-88, both of them worked together as volleyball referees for area high schools.
In 2003, an opportunity arose to acquire the original Freeman School that Phyllis and her brothers attended through 1947. The building was donated by a farmer who used it as a machine shed, and was relocated to a site in Ipava. It is now known as the Easley Pioneer Museum, which documents local history of the area through the mid-20th century.
Services were held Monday at Shawgo Memorial Home in Astoria with Pastor Mike Ulmer officiating. Burial was in the Vermont Cemetery.
Memorials in memory of Phyllis may be directed towards the Easley Pioneer Museum.
Condolences may be sent to www.shawgomemorialhome.com.
Current Obituaries in the Astoria South Fulton Argus