David Howard Cornn Sr.

David Howard Cornn Sr., 83, of Stroud, Okla., passed away March 13, 2023, at St. Francis Hospital in Tulsa, Okla. David was born Oct. 6, 1939, in Towns County, Ga., the son of the late Jesse Andrew Cornn and Geneva Black Cornn.

He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers John Estes Cornn, Jack Ray Cornn, James "Jimmy" Harold Cornn and George Millard Lunsford Junior; and his sisters Lougene Cornn Ritchie, Bessie Cornn White, Joyce Cornn Arrendale and Flonell Cornn.

David graduated from Rabun County High School in 1957 and went on to complete his education with a bachelor of accounting and master of education in special education from the University of Houston, with administration, reading and math certificates. He entered the United States Marine Corps in 1959 and retired as a master sergeant after 22½ years of service, including two tours of Vietnam and two tours in Japan.

He went on teach ROTC, mathematics, and special education for 30 years in Texas and California, until he retired in 2012.

David loved the outdoors, working on cars, trading cars (or just about anything he could trade), making his signature biscuits and gravy, and any excuse for a road trip. He never met a stranger and loved to travel and find a local hole-in-the-wall restaurant for a good meal.

He loved to work with his hands and was a great carpenter in his spare time, an excellent storyteller and even better cook, treating those he loved the most to his signature chocolate cake and homemade fudge with pecans.

He treasured his family both immediate and extended; he made multiple cross-country trips over the years to attend family reunions, class reunions, graduations, weddings and any sporting event he could manage to get to for his grandchildren. Aging rarely slowed him down, and he never hesitated to wrestle his older grandchildren or get on the floor to play and chase the youngest grandchildren.

David is survived by his wife of 42 years, Margaret Ann (LaRue) Cornn, of Stroud, and his children David Howard Cornn Jr. of Ellijay, Ga., Candice (Joseph) Cornn Carden-Chambers of Canton, Ga., Amelia (Scott) Cornn Robertson of Canton, Jonathan (Genevieve) Cornn of Riverside, Calif.,, and Jessica (David) Cornn Brackeen of Stroud, and his brother Sandy (Evelyn) Lunsford of Tiger, Ga. He had 10 grandchildren, Nathan (Amye) Cornn, Chance Carden, Mac Chambers, Erin Chambers, Serafina Cornn, Lorah Brackeen, Trinity Brackeen, Landon Brackeen, Phoenix Brackeen and Carson Brackeen, as well as numerous nieces and nephews. David thought the world of them all.

Services will be held Monday, March 27, at 1 p.m. at Parks Brothers in Stroud. A guest book is available to share your memories on-line. Please visit http://www.ParksBrothers.net. Services are under the direction of Parks Brothers Funeral Service in Stroud.