Walter “Skip” Cornelison was born and reared in Hawkins, Texas. He attended East Texas State College at the age of 16 for two years, transferring to and graduating from Texas Agricultural and Mechanical College (now Texas A & M University) with a BA in Mathematics and a Second Lieutenant commission (USAF) in 1955. Skip trained in the T-28, T-33, T-34, F-84, and F-100 aircraft. He flew combat in the F-100 in Vietnam from 1964 to 1965. Skip heroically served his country throughout the world. He was stationed in Germany, England, Italy, Japan, Okinawa, Vietnam, Korea, Philippines, Libya, and Turkey. In 1976, he retired with over 3000 F-100 flight hours after 20 years of service at Bergstrom Air Force Base in Austin, Texas.
Skip flew the F-100 From October of 1957 to October of 1970.
In September of 1980 until August of 2001,Skip was the Dean of Business and a Professor of Accounting at Austin Community College.
Walter “Skip” Clifton Cornelison, Jr., Major USAF, Ret., “Headed West” on November 25, 2016.
Skip Cornelison died in his sleep on November 25, 2016, at the age of 83 at his home in Austin, Texas. Skip was born and reared in Hawkins, Texas. He attended East Texas State College at the age of 16 for two years, transferring to and graduating from Texas Agricultural and Mechanical College (now Texas A & M University) with a BA in Mathematics and a Second Lieutenant commission (USAF) in 1955.
Skip trained in the T-28, T-33, T-34, F-84, and F-100 aircraft. He flew combat in the F-100 in Vietnam from 1964 to 1965. Skip heroically served his country throughout the world. He was stationed in Germany, England, Italy, Japan, Okinawa, Vietnam, Korea, Philippines, Libya, and Turkey. In 1976, he retired with over 3000 F-100 flight hours after 20 years of service at Bergstrom Air Force Base in Austin, Texas.
Sadly, Skip’s wife of 23 years, Betty Jane Cornelison, was killed in an auto accident in 1978 while Skip was in a Doctoral program at the University of Texas. Skip began teaching Accounting in 1979 at Austin Community College retiring as a Professor of Accounting in 2001. Skip married Martha A. Stewart in 1990. Skip and Martha lived in Austin, Texas and spent many summers at a family cabin in Colorado, and traveled together throughout the United States.
Skip is survived by his 3 children, Michael Cornelison, Clifton Cornelison, and George-Anne Cornelison. He is also survived by his wife Martha and her children, John Hurley, Robert Stewart, and Michael Stewart. He is also survived by many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-nieces, and great-nephews.
Skip was an old fashioned gentleman and was deeply loved by his family and respected by his friends and colleagues. In the words of one of his beloved granddaughters; “He was a genius, a war hero, a Father and my Grandfather. His strength, courage, and love are things I will aspire to every day.”
Source: https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/austin-tx/walter-cornelison-7181284
