Janet Cornelius

PENFIELD – Janet Cornelius died peacefully at home in Penfield on Saturday (Sept. 19, 2015,) surrounded by her family, after a four-year battle with ALS.

Mrs. Cornelius was born Jan. 20, 1938, in Danville, a daughter of Heye J. and Mary Ellen (Michael) Duitsman. She married Eldred J. Cornelius on June 10, 1956, in Royal.

Survivors include a brother, John Duitsman (Monika) of San Diego; two daughters, Kristin Camp (Michael) of Collison and Valerie Viverito (Larry) of Wheaton; two sons, Eric Cornelius of Penfield and Kent Cornelius (Mickey) of Danville, Ind.; nine grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.

Dr. Cornelius attended Ogden High School and earned B.A., M.A. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Illinois. She taught history and served as an administrator at Danville Area Community College, where she was named Faculty of the Year in 1996. She also taught at the University of Illinois, Eastern Illinois University and the University of St. Francis. She was the author of four books on Illinois constitutions, literacy, slavery and religion, and women in Danville, and numerous book reviews and articles in historical journals. She served on the Illinois Archives Board and the board of the Illinois Historical Society and as president of the Danville branch of the American Association of University Women. She was a member of St. John Lutheran Church at Royal where she served on the church council and the synod's Global Mission Committee as world hunger coordinator.

From early in their marriage, Janet formed a passionate affinity for the farm. Though they loved their home, she and her husband Eldred traveled extensively, alone and with friends. Together, they explored three continents and 23 countries. She traveled with friends to another six countries. Her travels reinforced her deeply held convictions of equality and dignity for women and of tolerance and kindness toward everyone, regardless of background.

She was an avid reader, constantly sharing books with her book group as well as with her children and grandchildren. She also loved music passionately, becoming a regular patron of Krannert Center for the Performing Arts as well as the Lyric Opera of Chicago. She also sang for many in the Oratorio Society at the University of Illinois. She often traveled to Canada for its annual Shakespeare festival and promoted the arts wherever she could.

Dr. Cornelius and her husband Eldred also enjoyed a home in Venice, Fla., in their retirement years where they became avid Tampa Bay Rays baseball fans. She enjoyed many hours walking on the beach.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 23, at St. John's Lutheran Church, Royal. The Rev. Jay Johnson will officiate. Burial will follow at Kopmann Cemetery, St. Joseph.

Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at the church. Lux Memorial Chapel, Rantoul, is handling the arrangements.

Memorials may be made to Les Turner Foundation for ALS or to Carle Hospice.