Leora Frances Cornia

Leora Frances Christiansen Cornia, 78, passed away from natural causes at her home in Basalt on June 19, 2017.

She was born October 19, 1938 to Leo & Francis Louise Christiansen in a boxcar in Blackfoot, Idaho. She attended school in Thomas and Riverside. Leora was a social butterfly, loved dances, drama, and was frequently in trouble for talking in class.

In 1958, after a lot of arm twisting from friends Gene Cornia worked up the courage to ask Leora to the Gold and Green Ball. This was the beginning of their lives together. They were married on June 10, 1959 in Riverside, Idaho. Gene and Leora had four children; Mike (Joan), Gina, Bill (Sheila), and Katie. Gene and Leora also opened their home and their hearts to other children over the years while raising their own children. They later became surrogate family to their niece, Vicky Schinderling Jolley (Darvel), and their four children who they considered their own. They had 12 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.

Leora was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She served well in many callings in the Primary, Stake Young Women’s program & the Relief Society. She and Gene were involved in Scouting, they were part of the leadership team for Woodbadge for multiple years.

Leora loved the outdoors and spending time at “The Place”. She was the best cook ever and everyone enjoyed the Dutch Oven dinners she and Gene cooked. Reading was her favorite pastime, a love that she passed onto her children. Leora loved her family and always had room for one more at the kitchen table. She was extraordinarily proud of her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and all those other children whom she nurtured over the years.

She is survived by her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, her brother, Chris (Kerry) Christiansen, sis-in-law, Evelyn Smullin (Jess), brother-in-law, Edward “Shorty” Cornia and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Melvin Eugene Cornia, her parents, her brother, Dean Christiansen and his wife, Annele Christiansen.

Funeral services will be 11:00 a.m. Friday, June 23, 2017 at the Firth Stake Center (823 North 675 East) in Basalt. The family will meet with friends Thursday evening from 6:00 till 7:30 p.m. at Nalder Funeral Home (110 W Oak) in Shelley and Friday morning from 9:30 a.m. to 10:40 a.m. at the church. Burial will be in the Goshen Cemetery.