Alan Gale Cornwell, age 87

Of Newton, IL passed away at 12:45 AM –Thursday, April 10, 2014 at Richland Memorial Hospital in Olney, IL.

Masonic Services will be held at 11:30 AM – Saturday, April 19, 2014 at the Blake-Buchanan Funeral Home in Newton, IL with funeral services to follow with Carroll Ross officiating. Private burial will be in the Shouse Chapel Cemetery in Bible Grove, IL. Visitation will be held from 9:30-11:30 AM – Saturday, April 19, 2014 at the funeral home. In loving memory of Mr. Cornwell, memorials may be made to the Central IL Honor Flight. The obituary can be viewed and condolences left at www.blakefh.com.

Alan Gale Cornwell, a lifelong resident of Jasper and Clay Counties, passed away on April 10, 2014 at

Richland Memorial Hospital, Olney, Illinois.

He was born in Jasper County, IL on August 14, 1926 the son of Ernest and Helen (Wetherholt) Cornwell and he attended schools in the Latona area. Gale served in the United States Army during World War II in the Pacific and in Germany.

He was recalled to service in the Korean War. He married Marion May Webster on January 7, 1948 and

they had two children, Brenda and Lana.

During the 1950s Gale farmed and worked for L. B. Strickland Oilfield Services in Bible Grove.

He then was employed at the AMF plant in Olney as a tool and dye maker retiring in 1981 to farm full time.

He was involved in farming until his death.

Gale enjoyed fishing, especially his trips to Canada. He also enjoyed mushroom hunting, having breakfast on Sunday mornings with the cabin boys, having lunch in Olney with his AMF buddies, driving across the country to visit his family and sightseeing, playing spinner, working crossword puzzles, riding in his truck looking at the crops and being the chief fish cook at events with friends and family. Everyone will miss his ever present sense of humor, his quick smile, his sense of fairness, and his generosity.

Gale is survived by his two daughters, Brenda J. Huff (George Rodman), and Lana C. Romaine (Lee), his two grandchildren, Ashley D. Huff (Jill) and Cortni B. Romaine and two great-grandchildren, Grace Elizabeth Huff and Harrison Turner Huff. Gale is also survived by his brothers, Robert Cornwell (Connie) and Mike Cornwell (Tammy), his sisters, Arlene Whitehurst, JoAnn Hanson, and Kathy Tesch (Aaron), his aunt, Florence Zimmerman and many cousins.

In March 2012, Gale was accompanied by his brother Mike to Washington D.C. on one of the missions of the Central Illinois Honor Flight which commemorates veterans of World War II and Korea. It was Gale's wish that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Central Illinois Honor Flight, 712 East Jefferson, Effingham, Illinois 62401 to support other veterans to experience this opportunity.

Gale was preceded in death by his wife, Marion, his parents, Helen (Wetherholt) Cornwell and Ernest Cornwell, his sisters, Mary Lou Carter, Ann Gee, and Sharon Spencer.