Charles "Chuck" Kornman
Marriages
Elsie Fry - July 20, 1957
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Burial Details
Obituaries
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel page 3 D Obituary - December 13, 2015
Charles "Chuck" Kornman
July 20, 1923 - November 21, 2015
Reverend Charles ("Chuck") Kornman, of Grand Junction, passed away at The Atrium of Grand Valley, on Saturday, November 21, 2015. He was 92.
Chuck was born to Donald and Maude Shiflet Kornman on July 20, 1923, in Lamar, CO. The family moved to Rozet, WY when he was in junior high, but had to return to Colorado due to drought and grasshoppers.
After graduating from Cedar Edge High in 1941, Chuck
hitchhiked east with $5 in his pocket, where he attended
Graceland College, in Lamoni, IA, graduating in 1943. He then
joined the US Army, serving in Italy and Ft. Bragg, NC. After
his military service, Chuck worked in mines in Ohio City and
White Pine, CO. From 1947-1949, he studied philosophy at William Jewell College in Liberty, MO and the University of Kansas.
In the spring of 1950, Chuck’s childhood dream was realized
as he entered full time ministry for the Community of Christ,
headquartered in Independence, MO. His ministry assignments included Illinois, Texas, Ontario, Canada, Norway, Tennessee, Missouri, Utah and Colorado. On July 20, 1957 he married Elsie Fry in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They were married for 35 years.
Upon retirement to Durango, CO, in 1988, Chuck poured himself into volunteerism and service. His passion was meeting people at their point of greatest need. While in Durango, he helped run the local homeless shelter and developed his clown ministry as "Popkorn."
In 1994, Chuck, moved to Grand Junction, where he began
years of volunteer service at St. Mary’s Hospital and with the
American Red Cross. He worked many natural disasters, including Katrina and Guam and spent 4 months in New York City after 9/11. His thirst for service led him to over 30,000 volunteer hours with the Grand Junction Police Department Victim’s Advocate Program. Chuck also found a call giving his time to the Western Colorado Suicide Prevention Foundation and HopeWest Hospice. Through it all, he remained a vibrant member of his church, and a passionate supporter of the humanitarian charity Outreach International.
Chuck loved baking bread and taking homemade fudge to his
friends. He delighted in reading, especially westerns and books about ministry. Having a gift of writing, he wrote numerous prayers that he shared without reservation. Up until his 92nd year, he enjoyed exercising and seeing his friends at Crossroads Fitness downtown. He had a great love of bridge, chess, photography, storytelling, and his beloved dog Casper. His greatest passions were preaching, worshipping with his church family and sharing his "light" wherever he went.
Rev. Kornman is survived by his son, Scott Kornman of
McKinney, TX; daughter, Stacy Webb of Durango, CO; brother,
Gerald Nelson of Clifton, CO; and two grandsons.
Interment will be at the Veteran’s Memorial Cemetery, 2830
Riverside Parkway, Grand Junction, CO on Tuesday, December 22, 2015 at 10:00 a.m. followed by a Celebration of Life at the Community of Christ, 2880 B-1/2 Rd, at 11:30 a.m. In lieu of flowers, Chuck would have been exhilarated by his friends donating to any organization to which he gave his time.
