Meet a Man You Perhaps Never Knew: Homer Cornish

I did not know him well, but for a number of years Homer Cornish and his second wife, LaRue were godsends for our work at the Clothes Closet at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Harrisonburg, Va. (His first wife was named Alice, now deceased, and LaRue died in 2014.) Homer and Alice had two children, Trent and Jennie, and later were blessed with two grandchildren. At our church we only knew Homer and LaRue.

The memorial service outlined Homer’s lifestyle—a great helper of anyone needing help. That was mainly how I knew him in his retirement from the ministry, as I watched him help sort clothes, hang clothes, help those looking for certain sizes. In general, doing whatever was needed most.

At his memorial service, Homer’s son-in-law, Todd Madden (a former minister), did his father-in-law proud (although no one would ever have called Homer a proud kind of guy). Never. Homer was more of a servant, someone to help others.

But Homer was game for fun too. His son Trent shared how in 1979, his Dad took him to all seven games of the World Series when Pittsburgh beat the Baltimore Orioles. (We’ve only been to one professional baseball game with our grandsons so somehow a pastor who loved his son that much was pretty amazing in my book.) Of course, he also loved helping kids at ballgames—not just watching.

When Trent was about 12, Homer helped to coach baseball games, and the custom was at that time that you left each boy play even if they weren’t the best players. So even a child who was picked on by other boys was able to play. The family remembers one time Homer was helping at a game and he had no umpire’s hat on (which typically gives protection across an umpire’s face) and since he didn’t have that protection a hard ball split his lip during the game. Homer went to an emergency room to fix it, and then went back to the ball game to finish it. These stories were so amazing to hear.

According to his son Trent, and daughter Jennie, Homer not only lived a very long life—one might say a purposeful life. I wish I could be as strong and active and kind—and tough. For instance, he could be somewhat of a daredevil, they said—proved by the time he not only dove off the highest level of a pool, but did a back flip. Which apparently wasn’t done by very many back in the days of Homer’s youth. Let’s see, Homer lived to be 94, so this flip was likely done in his youth, let’s say (I’m guessing) about 80 years ago. Hmm.

Another item his family knew him for was when they went to Mrytle Beach to swim, he was quite often so far out in the ocean that the lifeguards would call him out and tell him to get closer to shore!

Another time when he had traveled to Haiti with a team to help with Heifer Project work there, his glasses broke soon after he got there (I think) and he could hardly see, but carried on without glasses as best he could until he got back to the U.S.

But more than his journey in faith and teaching and preaching, (something like 40 years), he was not particularly well known. That wasn’t important to him, according to his family. He did enjoy directing choirs including a youth choir and played piano and trumpet when he could. In his retirement years, he worked in other countries when opportunities arose.

So many people today focus on money, trying to reach the top of their organization or job. Homer was most concerned about investing his life in treasuring Jesus and living for heaven.

That spoke to me. As the wonderful hymn “Amazing Grace” goes:

When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun.
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Then when we’d first begun.

Amen.