“Also during Bill’s year as President the club hosted a group of USC foreign students around Christmas, and the Little League team the club sponsored won the city championship,” said Rueckert.Cornitius was a well-respected businessman, said Harvey. “He was a hard-working guy, a good businessman and very honest. . .he was also a 32nd Degree Mason and was a member of the Shriner Lodge. Bill was a good family man,” and he and his wife, Ellie, had five daughters.Harvey said his friend was also a “Very avid sportsman, quite a hunter, who used to go elk hunting with his old buddies, like Don Dickenson, in Idaho.”Cornitius stayed in the oil business in Oregon, where he again owned a wholesale distributorship.But the lure of his friends in Santa Paula, and the airport, made Cornitius a frequent, and welcome visitor: “He was always a staunch supporter of the Santa Paula Airport and the business community here,” added Harvey. “Bill was one of those types of guys that never said anything bad about anybody. . .he was a real fine guy, one of those types of businessmen who made a good living, quietly done.’Cornitius was on the quiet side, but “When he talked you wanted to listen to what he had to say because what he said was a lot of truth. . .he was a straight shooter.”“We salute Bill’s service and honor his memory,” said Rueckert.
Aviator, past SP Rotary President Cornitius killed in Oregon accident
February 02, 2001
Santa Paula News
A Santa Paula aviator and former president of the Rotary Club was killed last week in a single-vehicle accident near his Oregon home.
William “Bill” Cornitius, 79, a resident of Sun River, Oregon, died instantly when he was thrown from his vehicle.
By Peggy KellySanta Paula TimesA Santa Paula aviator and former president of the Rotary Club was killed last week in a single-vehicle accident near his Oregon home.William “Bill” Cornitius, 79, a resident of Sun River, Oregon, died instantly when he was thrown from his vehicle.Cornitius had been the owner of a Shell Oil wholesale dealership and upon his move to Oregon he sold the business, now Clark Oil, located on East Telegraph Road.“I knew him about 50 years,” said Roger Harvey of Santa Paula. “I met him at Santa Paula Airport. . .he has a hanger at the airport,” which was a frequent destination. “Bill could taxi right into his hanger at his home that was attached to the back of his house.”Cornitius was a special guest of the Santa Paula Rotary Club in 1998, the 75th anniversary year of the club where past presidents were honored. President of the Rotary Club 1957-1958, Cornitius flew to Mexico in the early 1970s on a Rotary exchange visit, accompanied by Carl Barringer, Jim Healey and Chino Valdes, according to Nils Rueckert, also a Rotary Past President. Eb and Anita Tate also participated in the program. During Cornitius’ tenure as Rotary Club President, members built a Boys Scout Hut for the club sponsored troop at Mill Park.
