RAYMOND (Spike) CORNELIUS 4/21/49 - 1/25/25

Ray was born in Portland Oregon to Dorothy and Gail Cornelius and except for the past 6 years living just outside of Oregon City, lived all of his life in Portland. He attended Parkrose High School, graduating in 1967. During the Viet Nam war, he had a low draft number, so he decided to get his military obligation over with and dropped out of college. Soon drafted, at 19 yrs old, the Army sent him to Viet Nam where he was involved in an ambush firefight and took an AK47 round to the chest. He spent 10.5 months at Madigan Hospital recovering from a pneumonectomy and resulting infection. In 1970 he met his future wife Mary Coslett, also from Portland. They built a life together in the Mt Tabor neighborhood.

Not one to let his injuries hold him back, he was a man of many talents and abilities. He was quite a character as well, as many will attest. He was a kind man with a soft spot for animals. Most often cheerful, often irreverent and mentioned with affection, he could be a real stubborn butthead too which he more than likely was proud of. Life was not dull with Mr. C, and he lived his life to the fullest.

A Master Goldsmith by profession, motorcycle man, (preferring Euro style cafe racers) a horseman and dressage judge, friend to his own and any dogs he met, amazing amateur chef and woodworker.
He could build or repair most anything. If he couldn't get a replacement part, sometimes he would make his own.

As his aches and pains from his wartime injuries affected his breathing and his spine, he kept adjusting his life to keep moving forward, learning and often mastering each hobby he took on. Currently it was woodturning and training/trialing his Staffordshire Bull Terriers in the sport of K9 Nosework.

He had been looking forward to an extensive spinal surgery to rebuild several deteriorated discs as he had been, for all practical purposes, laid up for the past year and really tired of it. But the past month of fighting influenza, combined with his underlying conditions just became too much to overcome.

He leaves behind his wife Mary Coslett Cornelius, sisters Sue Berry, Jan Bartlett, brother-in-law Ben Bartlett. Sister Julie Cornelius Darrough preceded him in death. Niece Lora Sundell-Bahrd, and her husband Brent Sundell, nephew Ron Meadows, great nieces Jazmin Meadows, Ella Sundell and Ashley Roman, great nephews Maxamillion Meadows and Isak Sundell.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in his honor can be made to the Zaltho Foundation. Like so many war veterans, Raymond had combat PTSD. American born, combat veteran and Zen Buddhist monk Claude Anshin Thomas with the Zaltho Foundation was instrumental in helping him and so many other wartime veterans navigate life with PTSD in a more positive way.

A Celebration of Life will be held late spring or early summer.