Ilene Nolen Cornick

Funeral services for Ilene Nolen Cornick, 99, of Lufkin will be held Saturday, November 2, 2013 at 11:00 a.m. at the Elwyn M. Gipson Memorial Chapel in the Garden of Memories Memorial Park with Dr. Andrew G. Pittman officiating. Interment will follow the services.

Mrs. Cornick was born July 31, 1914 on her grandfather’s farm in San Augustine County, Texas. She passed away Wednesday, October 30, 2013 in a local hospital. She was the second child of four born to Joseph Bryant and Madge (Boren) Nolen, having an older brother and two younger sisters. In 1921 her father was elected County Clerk, so she and her family moved to San Augustine, where she graduated from high school in 1931.

After two years of college at Stephen F. Austin State University, Mrs. Cornick began teaching. She continued attending college until she earned her degree. Mrs. Cornick taught in San Augustine County for a number of years, and also in Wells.

Mrs. Cornick married Ray Cornick from Davenport, Iowa October 24, 1942. He became an Air Force fighter pilot and was sent to England. He went down off the North Sea on a return trip and was declared dead February 3, 1945. After this Mrs. Cornick joined the Red Cross. She was in Luxembourg City when the war ended, and also when the Grand Duchess returned and when General George Patton was buried.

After the Red Cross, Mrs. Cornick went to Seoul, Korea in 1948 and taught in the American School for American and Children of Diplomatic Corps, which included thirteen different nationalities of children who spoke English. When America left Korea, she went to Japan and taught G.I.’s who could not pass a fifth grade test. When war began in 1950 Mrs. Cornick came to Lufkin to be with her mother who was to undergo surgery, from which she died. She then taught school in Diboll, but later returned to Frankfurt, Germany and was club director at the Rhine Main Service Club. She later transferred to Saudi Arabia where she was director of the Desert Inn Service Club.

While in Germany in 1958, Mrs. Cornick adopted a baby girl by proxy for her sister. When the baby was four months old she brought her to her sister, who died when the baby was only one year old. She later returned and raised the baby as her own daughter. She taught school in Houston, Diboll and Lufkin. Mrs. Cornick retired from Houston ISD in 1976 and returned to Lufkin. From 1976-1979 she was the principal at St. Cyprian’s Episcopal School.

Mrs. Cornick was a member of Lufkin’s First Baptist Church, a lifetime member of the Gold Star Wives of America, the Ladies Auxiliary of the V.F.W., and a retired member of Texas Retired Teachers. She was also a member of Friends of Kurth Memorial Library, Friends of Ellen Trout Zoo and the Museum of East Texas.

Mrs. Cornick was the last surviving sibling of her family.

Survivors include her niece, Ilene Pedersen and husband Robert of Rockwall; grandchildren, Penny, Wendy and Cody Pedersen, all of the Dallas area; niece, Mary Nell Hooper and husband Richard of Pasadena; nephews, Bryan Nolen Burke and wife Judy of Austin and Dr. James Lee Burke and wife Lou Ann of Salt Lake City, Utah; cousins, William “Bill” Nolen and wife Lucille of Roanoke, Frances and Jack Phelps of San Antonio, Kay Baker of Beaumont, Letha Boren of Center, and Connie Robinson of Redlands, California.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Lufkin’s First Baptist Church, 106 E. Bremond Avenue, Lufkin, Texas 75901, or a charity of your choice.

The family will welcome friends and loved ones from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. Saturday morning at the Elwyn M. Gipson Memorial Chapel.

Memories and condolences may be added at www.carrowayfuneralhome.com.

Carroway Funeral Home, Lufkin, directors.