Robert Cornie

Robert Raymond “Bob” Cornie
No words can express a life so well lived by such an honest, loyal, hard-working yet humble man.
On September 26, 2018, after a short but courageous battle with cancer, Bob Cornie, 85, passed away to heaven to spend eternity with Jesus whom he adored throughout is life.
He was born in Pineville, MO on July 13, 1933 to Bob Cornie, Sr. and Birdie Cornie. He was delivered at home by a country doctor who bartered his services for hay. The family moved to the Castleford, Idaho area to farm when he was 3 months old.
When Bob was 5 1/2 years old, his father sold the mules, purchased one of the first Farmall-H tractors, and had him doing tractor-work pulling a disc before he was old enough to go to grade school. Once he started grade school, he also helped on the farm milking cows. He even survived being gored in the back by a Holstein bull. He was hard-working and dependable his whole life.
We conclude he had a hard-working guardian angel. His earliest memories were of his trusty collie, Tippy. Together they would encounter many rattlesnakes on the farm near Lily Grade. At 4 years old, Bob wasn’t as afraid of them as he should have been and thought it fun to tease the snakes with a stick. His dog was bitten on numerous occasions, resulting in a swollen neck, but would always recover. Looking back, he is sure that old Tippy was just trying to protect him. When Bob started grade school, he walked about a mile through sagebrush and across Deep Creek over a wooden plank to the bus stop. He never missed the bus. When he was in the 4th grade, they moved to what later became the Nay Sheep ranch. He then attended Sunny Side Country School which was a two mile walk each way. In his teenage years, his father raised potatoes and the neighbors worked together to help harvest each other’s fields. His job was to buck the spud sacks as he was always strong in the arms.
He joined the army in 1953 during the Korean War. The armistice was signed while he was in training so he was sent to Arizona instead. After the service he returned home ready to farm and ranch in the Lucerne area NW of Buhl.
He met Carolyn Mason at a YWCA dance in Twin Falls, Idaho. While they were dating, her father asked his father-in law who farmed near Bob what he thought about him. He said “She could look the world over and not find a better one. He is the plum of the orchard!” They married October 12, 1958. They loved farm life, raising hay, wheat, barley, beans, corn, cattle and four children.
Christian living was important to Bob. He had a desire to know what the Bible said rather than take someone else’s word for it, so he started reading and studying it every night on his own. He didn’t require much sleep and it was a habit he kept for over 50 years which he enjoyed very much. His faith in God was truly in his heart.
Bob was very civic minded. He served on the soil conservation board for a number of years, was a Buhl Highway District Commissioner for 42 years, and was a member of the West End Men’s Association actively involved with their scholarship program until his passing. He loved serving his community. He could be described as faithful, loyal, tenacious, responsible, dependable, hard-working, strong yet humble and one full of common sense. The world could use a few more “salt-of-the earth” people like Bob.
He leaves behind his adoring wife, Carolyn Cornie with whom he truly enjoyed 60 years of blessed marriage; four children, Margaret (Scot) Horton, Ted Cornie, Tim Cornie, and Merlaine (Jerry) Crites who are so proud to call him Dad; eight grandchildren, Chad Horton, Clayton Bishop, Ryan Cornie, Brook Bishop, Allison Springer, Chase Bishop, Charlie Cornie, Wyatt Cornie who are inspired to emulate their grandfather in character and deed; three great grandchildren, Oliva Thomas, Seth Horton, Alyce Horton, who are grateful to have been his delight and two more on their way who will be told all about him; brothers, Jim Cornie and Larry Cornie who have always loved their big brother; and his collie Darcy who misses her walking partner. He was preceded in death by his baby brother, Patrick and his parents Bob Cornie, Sr. and Birdie Cornie.
A funeral service will be held at 11:00 am, Wednesday, October 3rd at the First Christian Church 1005 Poplar St., Buhl, Idaho. Refreshments will follow. Arrangements are under the direction of Farmer Funeral Chapel of Buhl, Idaho.
Memorial donations may be made to the West End Men’s Association scholarship program.