Cornelia Mary Himmelsbach

November 24, 1930 August 24, 2021 Resident of San Jose

Aged 90, of natural causes. Cornelia was born in 1930 in Portland, Oregon. She lost her father at a very young age and was especially close with her mother. Cornelia is survived by her children Mary King, Eileen, William, Laura and Sharon Himmelsbach, Jane Lomas, six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. When she was 16 years old, she moved with her mother to Santa Monica, CA and became a professional dancer and a member of the Screen Extras Guild. She appeared in several Hollywood films in the 1950s and later worked in a chorus line. In 1954, Cornelia moved to a boarding house in San Francisco where she met Leo Himmelsbach, who had recently completed his service in the U.S. Navy. Mutual friends thought they should get acquainted, and Leo was smitten! They fell in love and married in 1956. Cornelia was a great lover of music, the arts, travel, and languages. Above all, she cherished her Catholic faith, children and family, and human relationships. She and Leo spent many joyful years sailing together on the San Francisco Bay. Cornelia’s gentle soul and unwavering faith in God inspired her many acts of loving service that changed the lives of countless friends, family and strangers. Her warm spirit and beautiful smile will be missed by her six children and all who knew her. A funeral mass will be held at 4:00 p.m. on Monday, Aug 30th, 2021 at St. Christopher’s Catholic Church in Willow Glen.