RICHARD ALEXANDER CORNWELL
September 15, 1931 - January 17, 2023
Richard (Dick) Alexander Cornwell passed away on January 17, 2023, after a short illness. He was 91 years old.
Mr. Cornwell was born on September 15, 1931, in Canandaigua, New York, the son of William Darlington Cornwell, and Helen Lorraine Flahive. His early years were spent in New York and Pennsylvania, while his father worked for the Pennsylvania railroad, as an engineer. Upon his retirement, William moved the family to Pasadena, California in 1942. There, Richard attended Saint Andrews Catholic elementary school. Following his eighth grade graduation in 1945, he entered the seminary for two years and then completed his high school years at Cathedral Catholic High School in Los Angeles, graduating in 1949. He met his beloved wife, Jean Braun, on Catalina Island in the summer of 1949 and they were married on April 5, 1952. Prior to his marriage, he had enlisted in the United States Air Force, and served as a staff sergeant from 1951 to 1955, a portion of which he spent in Iceland during the Korean War.
Upon his return to civilian life, he lived in the Pasadena/ Arcadia area and began working for George Braun, Sr. at Braun Linen Supply in Los Angeles. He and Jean’s two brothers, George Braun, Jr. and Bill Braun, worked their way up through the business and eventually expanded the company to three different locations: Paramount, Pomona and Colton. After the death of Jean’s two brothers, Bill in 1988, and George Jr. in 1989, Mr. Cornwell became the CEO of the remaining two locations in Paramount and Pomona, which are still ongoing businesses. He employed many of the local high school boys in the counting room, most of whom were from Damien High School. During these years, he and his family lived in Whittier (1955 to 1963), Claremont (1963 to 1979) and Upland (1979 until his death).
Richard loved to play golf and he and Jean spent many weekends at their condominium in Rancho Mirage at the Rancho Las Palmas Country Club. They also enjoyed traveling and took many trips to various golf resorts in the United States, Canada and Europe, along with his brother Jack (Carolyn) and their dear friends, the Fraser’s and the Galipeau’s. Richard and Jean also took several cruises with their elementary and high school friends. Each summer, for decades, they took their children, their extended family and, it seemed like anyone else who wanted to come, to Capistrano Beach along with the Fraser and Galipeau families.
Richard Cornwell was preceded in death by his parents, William and Helen, his three brothers, Robert, William and Jack, and his beloved wife, Jean, who he was married to for 67 years. He is survived by his four children Rick (JoAnn), Kim (Tony), Scott (Sonia) and Craig (Kelly), 13 grandchildren, 11 great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. Although he will be greatly missed, he had a long, wonderful and blessed life.
Services will be held at Saint Anthony’s Catholic Church in Upland, California on February 24, 2023 at 10 AM.