Ellen Kenny was born at home on the family farm in Plymouth County, Iowa, on Sep. 2, 1932, to Thomas M. and Ruth Johnson Kenny.

Welcoming her were siblings Tom, Mildred and Rosemary. In 1948, Ellen moved with her parents to San Patricio County, Texas, to clear land for farming.

She graduated from Sinton High School in 1950 and from Southwestern University with a degree in education in 1953. From there she began her four-decadeplus career as a teacher at Sinton ISD, Corpus Christi ISD, in San Diego, California and at Tuloso- Midway ISD.

As a first-grade teacher, she impactfully touched the lives of many children and ensured that each child was ready for second grade. Through much of the 1960s at Tuloso- Midway, new first graders who only spoke Spanish were assigned to her class. Ellen was particularly proud of these students, who not only learned to read and write but became bilingual.

In 1954, Ellen was introduced to Charles “Andy” Cornelius by her sister Rosemary and Rosemary’s husband, Calvin Karr. Andy and Ellen were married on Dec. 22, 1954.

Upon Andy’s honorable discharge from the U.S. Navy in 1956, they and their son, Thomas, returned from San Diego, California to Texas and settled in the Annaville area of Corpus Christi. Son John, and daughter Linda, came along in the 1960s. The family were faithful members of Grace United Methodist Church.

In 2017, Ellen moved to the Austin area and since 2023 received compassionate care from the staff at Heritage Lakes Senior Living Community. She passed away on May 19, 2026, in Pflugerville.

Ellen was preceded in death by her parents; husband; brother and sister-in-law Tom and Bonnie Kenny; brother, Robert Kenny; sisters and brothers-in-law Millie and Bob Herzberg, and Rosemary and Calvin Karr; parents-in-law, Winfield and Evelyn Cornelius; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law John Cornelius, Mary and Herb Laubscher, Orlan and Faye Cornelius, and Rose and Herb Ely; and sister-in-law, Pat Cornelius.

She is survived by her children Tom (Bobbie Jo) of Austin, John (Marilyn) of Elgin, and Linda (Bronson) Hamilton of Rockport; grandchildren Jason Cornelius (Casey Torgusson), Byron Cornelius (Emily), Carmen Cornelius, Rosemary Cornelius, Evan Hamilton and Katherine Hamilton; great-grandchildren Charles Cornelius and Blair Cornelius; sister-inlaw Patricia Cornelius; brother-in-law Daniel (Karen) Cornelius; and many nieces and nephews.

A memorial service is scheduled for Saturday, June 27, 2026, at 1 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church of Elgin, 216 W. Third St., Elgin, Texas with a prior visitation and light luncheon in the church fellowship hall from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to a literacy program of your choice. To truly honor ‘Mrs. Cornelius,’ please read with your young children and grandchildren.

Memorial arrangements are by Elgin Funeral Home, 712 N. Avenue C, Elgin, Texas.