Leslie "Jr." Cornelius

Jr. Cornelius, beloved father to his daughter Dana (Cornelius) MacDonald, and two stepsons Warren and Wayne Merrifield. On May 1, 2022, Jr. passed away in a house full of loved ones in his daughter’s home in rural Seymour after a long battle with heart failure. Jr. was eighty-seven years and seven months young.

The fourth of six children, he was born Leslie Junior Cornelius on October 1, 1934, in Ava Missouri, to Leslie L. and Louise Katherine (Peters) Cornelius. Jr. grew up in the Ava / Seymour area and attended school in a one room schoolhouse. Seymour is where he continued his education in his teen years, and was a graduate of the Seymour High School Class of 1954.

After graduating, life took Jr. to Germany to serve his country. While away from home he sent checks home to his mom and dad to help pay for the family farm. He stayed in Germany for three years before an honorable discharge and being sent home to take care of his sick dad.

In 1962, Jr. married Yvonne Grimmett in Denton, Texas. Together they had a son, Matthew Mark, who passed in November of 1962, and son, Dale who took the Cornelius name.

In 1971, Jr. married Loretta (Logan) Cornelius in Seymour Missouri. Together they had their daughter Dana, along with gaining his two stepsons, Warren and Wayne.

Jr. is a well-known lover of fishing, hunting, farming, and cooking his famous fried fish, and his squirrel stew. He liked hard work, anything that would take him outside, and appreciated the silence when it presented itself.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Leslie L. and Louise K. Cornelius; son Mathew Mark Cornelius; brothers, Herb and Howard Cornelius; sister, Lil Norris; two brothers-in-law, Charles Embrey and Herb Goss; and sister-in-law, Mary Lou Cornelius.

He leaves behind his daughter, Dana MacDonald and husband, Walter, of Seymour, Missouri; two sons, Warren Merrifield and Carol Morgan of Mount Vernon, Missouri, Wayne Merrifield and wife, Tammy, of Seymour, Missouri; five grandchildren, Cheyenne Everett and husband, Jacob, of Springfield, Missouri, Jakilyn Cavanaugh and husband, Lukas, of Springfield, Missouri, Stephanie Slone and husband, Jason, of Blue River, Kentucky, Casey Merrifield and wife, Stephanie, of Seymour, Missouri, and Corey Merrifield of Springfield, Missouri; eight great-grandchildren, Macaria Everett of Springfield, Missouri, (soon to be) Alice Cavanaugh of Springfield, Missouri, Makayla, Taegan, and Paisly Slone of Blue River, Kentucky, and Fisher, Willow, and River Merrifield of Seymour, Missouri; sisters, Donna Embrey of Seymour, Missouri, and Lois Goss of Fort Worth, Texas; brother-in-law, Joel Norris of Ava, Missouri; and a host of cousins, extended family and friends.

Jr. was a devoted and loving father and grandfather. Leslie Junior Cornelius lived a devoted life to his family, those taken from us too soon and the ones still living. He created a lifetime of moments and memories that will live in our hearts forever.