Lucille Corneil

Lucille "Tweet" Violet Corneil, age 98, of Willmar died peacefully on March 24, at Rice Memorial Hospital following complications from pneumonia.
Funeral services will be held at the First Baptist Church on Monday March 30, 2015 at 1:00 pm. A private family burial service will be held before the service at Fairview Cemetery. Visitation is from 5-7 pm on Sunday, March 29, at Peterson Brothers Funeral Home in Willmar and will continue for one hour prior to the service at the church. Memorials are preferred to First Baptist Church Missions Fund or Rice Hospice. Arrangements are with Peterson Brothers Funeral Home. www.petersonbrothers.com
Lucille was born on March 7, 1917 in Willmar, Minnesota, the daughter of John and Josephine (Gabrielson) Anderson. She grew up in Willmar and graduated from Willmar High School in 1935. Following high school, she spent a year working in Minneapolis for the Salvation Army and others, but returned to Willmar, where she remained a life-long resident. Lucille was united in marriage on April 29, 1939 to Vernon Corneil in Milbank, South Dakota. She was a devoted mom, who took on the responsibility of raising her four children and a foster-child.
"Tweet" was active in many activities at First Baptist Church, where she was a life-long member. She committed her life to the Lord at an early age and also was responsible for leading her future husband to the Lord. One of her strengths was working alongside Vern in helping many couples maintain and strengthen their marriages. Lucille was also active in the local Christian Women's Group and Bible Study where she served as a hostess. She became a good listener and was a devoted "prayer warrior". She also served as a volunteer at Rice Hospital for 25 years.
"Tweet" and Vern took in a number of young men into their home after their immediate family left home. This included 3-4 students from Willmar Community College (now Ridgewater College), a foster son for 9 years, and a foreign exchange student (Shigeru Matsuura) from Japan. She was elated when she was able to steer these young men to the Lord. They also entertained many of the servicemen who were stationed at the Willmar Air Force Base in the mid 50's. It is quite common for her to continue to hear from many of them today.
Lucille had a strong interest in music and cultivated that interest in all of her children. Besides many of their concerts during their high school and college years, she also enjoyed playing the piano at home and even played the grand piano (often by request) at Copperleaf, where she had lived since 2009. Some of her favorite musicians were George Beverly Shea and Ponder, Harp and Jennings. Lucille and Vern loved to travel. One of their highlights included a trip to Billy Graham's Retreat Center, called The Cove.
Lucille will be missed by her children, Vernelle "Nell" (and David) Herzer of Arizona and Wisconsin, Sharon (and Dan) Hansen of Willmar, Tom (and Karen) Corneil of Willmar, Peggy (and Cedric) Boese of Montana, and foster son, Rody (and Tanya) Young of St. Cloud. She left a strong legacy to her 14 grandchildren, 22 great grandchildren and 12 great-great grandchildren. Also surviving are two sisters Doris Scott of Willmar and Marjorie Johnson of Kasson and one sister-in-law Mildred Pomrenke of Canada.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Vern in 2010; her parents; her sister, Genevieve and brother, Robert "Buddy" Anderson. God bless the memory of Lucille "Tweet" Corneil.

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