Barbara L. Cornelius

Barbara L. Cornelius, 88, of Lewisburg, formerly of Winfield, passed away on Sunday, April 8 at UPMC Susquehanna Hospital in Williamsport.

Born in Lewistown, Mifflin County, on May 17, 1928, she was the daughter of the late Chester R. and Lillian Clementine (Wisehaupt) Leach. She was preceded in death by a brother, Chester R. Leach Jr.

She is survived by her husband, Earle, of Lewisburg,  to whom she was married for 67 years; two sons, Earle, husband of Patti, of Lititz, and John, husband of Susanne, Forest Hill, Maryland; four grandchildren, Kelly, wife of Joseph Parlapiano, Lake Mohawk, New Jersey; Hilary Cornelius, partner of Kathy Ludwig, Hollywood, Florida; Joseph and Sam Cornelius, Forest Hill, Maryland; two great-grandchildren, Aiden and Paige Parlapiano; and a sister, Johanna, wife of Thomas Miller, Lewisburg.

Barb, as she was known by friends and family,  was valedictorian of  the Milroy High School Class of 1945. She graduated from Thomas Jefferson University College of Nursing in 1949.  She was a nurse at Pittsburgh General Hospital before moving to Lewisburg where she was a nurse and later became head nurse of the Intensive Care Unit at Evangelical Community Hospital. She retired in 1992 after more than 35 years at  the hospital.

She was an active member of Trinity United Methodist Church in Winfield for more than 60 years. She previously was a member of the church choir and, until recently, was among a group that made candy at the church to benefit the church’s Mission Society. She also was a longstanding volunteer at both the American Red Cross bloodmobile and at the Winfield Firemen’s Carnival.

She and her husband enjoyed living along the Susquehanna River, watching ducklings learn to swim and eaglets learn to fly.  She liked to do cross-stitch and, later in life, played golf at Bucknell University Golf Club. She regularly attended concerts by the Susquehanna Valley Chorale and other music organizations.

A memorial service is planned for Memorial Day weekend at a time to be determined. Donations in her memory may be sent to Trinity United Methodist Church’s Tribute Fund, P.O. Box 159, Winfield, Pennsylvania, 17889 or in her name to the Mae Keefer Nursing Scholarship, c/o the Development Office, 1 Hospital Drive, Lewisburg, 17837