Ronald Cornell

Ronald (Ron) E. Cornell, long time resident of Boulder City, passed peacefully Saturday evening April 18, 2020.   The eldest son of John and Rose Cornell (deceased).  He is survived by his brother Mark Cornell of Redwood City California.  Ron was born May 12, 1949 at Queen of Angels hospital in Los Angeles. He attended Cohasset Street school for kindergarten, Saint Elizabeth catholic elementary school in Van Nuys, and Saint Genevieve Catholic high school in Panorama City, California.  He then enrolled for one year at San Fernando Valley State College.   He began his working career at Golden Oaks retirement home in Van Nuys as a Kitchen helper and cook.   He worked eight years at (NCR), the National Cash Register Company, as a repair technician.  He retired from the (LADWP) Los Angeles Department of Water and Power where he worked the remainder of his career at various posts of duty; San Francisquito Canyon and Owens Valley, California, and McCullough Switching Station and Hoover Dam in Nevada. Ronald loved watching his video collection of old movies and TV programs.  In fact he became a remarkable video historian; an encyclopedia of historical facts and information about the many, if not most of the videos he owned.  He also became an old-time rock and roll aficionado and the Beach Boys were his favorites.  He would not go anywhere without his Beach Boys 50th Anniversary Ball Cap.   He enjoyed sharing stories of his Beach Boy Encounters during his high school years and about the many live musical concerts he attended during his life.   He was a huge fan of Halloween.  Every year he would convert his front yard into his version of a haunted house.  He loved old time trains and steam driven locomotives.   He often vacationed in states across America where he could visit and ride their narrow-gauge trains powered by antique steam locomotives engines.  He entertained himself with his small collection of model trains.   Ron always beamed with childlike energy and enthusiasm for the many things he loved.  It was apparent, that little boy in him never really grew up.   He enjoyed hiking underground caverns, and in his earlier years became a Scuba Diver diving Lake Mead, Catalina Island, and many other vacation hotspots.   He became a genealogy enthusiast and invested many years crisscrossing the U.S. visiting cemeteries and old sites where his family members used to live.   He loved to visit distant family members collecting tidbits about the Cornell family on his dad’s side or the Stratman family on his mother's side.   He enjoyed conversations with anyone, and it didn’t matter the topic.  He had a warm smile and an infectious laugh.   Ron served many years as a voluntary Videographer for the City of Boulder City.  He filmed much of the video for the Boulder City Television station (BCTV) including filming live Boulder City Council meetings.   Ron was very passionate and he pursued his passions with boundless energy, unwavering commitment, and enthusiasm for the things he loved and enjoyed most.   His number one passion was the love and affection for his longtime friend and companion: his dog PITA.  PITA became that enduring love of his life.  She misses you and she will be loved and cared for; just as you wanted.