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Cornelius B Block

Henderson High School, Henderson, Nebraska Class of 1939.

US Army, 115th Combat Engineers.

Cornelius B Block 2017

Narrative

Veteran World War II.

US Army, 115th Combat Engineers.

Entered Service: Drafted 1 Aug 1944 from Illinois.

Honorable Discharge: 29 Jul 1946 at Fort Sheridan, Illinois.

Cornelius was born on September 2, 1919 to Abraham Block and Agatha (Janzen) Block in Mennon, (now a ghost town) Saskatchewan, Canada.

He graduated from Henderson high school in Henderson, NE in 1939.

He moved to Minnesota where he met and married Lillian Patient on August 20, 1940. They moved to Mahomet, IL where he worked in a drop forging shop until he was drafted into the army during WWII on August 1, 1944. He served in the 115th combat engineers. He was honorably discharged from Fort Sheridan, IL on July 29, 1946.

Upon discharge they moved back to Butterfield, MN to be near Lillian's family. After working at the Toro lawn mower plant in St. James he went to refrigeration school in Minneapolis.

After graduation he went to work for Riverside Refrigeration in Owatonna, MN. He later moved back to Butterfield where he went to work for Carl Wetland appliance and repair in St. James. After Carl's death, Cornelius started his own business until he retired at age 90.

On November 20, 1974 Lillian passed away from cancer. On November 16, 1979 Cornelius married Ione Agnes Bilyeu Hofstad Booth Block. They lived together in St. James until her death on October 2, 1998.

Cornelius is survived by son, Roger C. and wife Cindy of St. Peter, MN, daughter, Patricia Block of Richmond, CA, stepson, James Hofstad and wife Geraldine of Sacramento, CA, daughter-in-law, Annie Hofstad of St. James and many loving grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

He is preceded in death by his parents, both of his wives Lillian and Ione, and two siblings, Zelman Avis and David Block.