David Lee Cornelius, PhD, longtime Eastern Washington University faculty member, administrator and overall generous supporter, passed away on Sept. 21, 2022.
A dedicated teacher and Navy veteran, Dr. Cornelius retired from EWU in 2005, where he had served for 21 years in roles that included faculty member, Chair of the Communications Department and Associate Dean of the College of Letters, Arts, and Social Sciences.
During the two decades he served at Eastern, Dr. Cornelius was awarded the Trustees Medal, the university’s highest award for teaching excellence. He and his dean, Dr. Jeffers Chertok, also received an extensive Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) grant for an Across the Curriculum focus in their college. Cornelius also established an annual lecture series to honor the memory of Dean Chertok that was funded by Mr. Daniel Carper.
After retiring, Dr. Cornelius went on to establish an endowed scholarship to help students at Eastern – The David Cornelius Communications Studies Scholarship.
Dr. Cornelius loved reading, classical music and opera. He traveled widely throughout Europe, Canada, Australia and the U.S. He was a dedicated husband to Frederick A. Montgomery and a beloved uncle to seven nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held on Nov. 10 at 1 p.m. at the Washington State Veterans Cemetery in Medical Lake, WA.
On behalf of the Eastern community, we extend our heartfelt gratitude and sympathy to the loved ones of Dr. Cornelius.
The family has named EWU as an educational cause to support in honor of Dr. Cornelius. Donations in his honor can be made to his scholarship fund at Eastern Washington University. Gifts may be made online to the David Cornelius Communications Studies Scholarship. Checks can be mailed to the EWU Foundation, 102 Hargreaves Hall, Cheney, WA 99004. Please note the fund name in the memo line.
