Rev. Martha Cornwall's Obituary
The Rev. Dr. Faith Martha Cornwall, 96, passed away November 13, 2014 at McKendree Village Retirement Home in Hermitage, TN. She was born in Rupert, Idaho but moved to Florida when she was 11 where she received her call to the ministry at an evangelistic service. At 14 Faith was teaching Sunday school class and visiting shut-ins for her Methodist Church. In college she pursued a social studies degree because at that time Methodist Churches were not ready to ordain women. She attended Scarritt College, where she received a Masters in Christian Education and Vanderbilt Divinity School where she received a Masters in Divinity and later a Doctorate in Divinity. She worked her way through seminary in the mental health unit at Vanderbilt hospital where she was chaplain and later became Director of Pastoral Services. She was a member of the Association of Mental Health Clergy and of the Board of the Nashville Mental Health Association.
Faith was ordained an elder in the Methodist Church in 1973, and the first woman to be ordained in the Tennessee Conference. One of the highlights of her career was in 1980 when she was invited to be one of the chaplains for the Winter Olympics at Lake Placid, NY. Another was when she was invited to preach at the chapel at West Point Military Academy. Before retiring she was appointed pastor of a three-point charge in Summertown, TN.
She was preceded in death by her father, Chester Orlando Cornwall, her mother, Grace Boyer Cornwall, her brother, Chester William Cornwall, and a nephew Chester William Cornwall, Jr. Faith is survived by her nephew. Col. Charles Cornwall and Jeannie, niece, Cheryl Cornwall Burwell and Tom, Great nephews, Mike Cornwall and Ashley, Thomas Burwell, Jr. and Camille, Todd Burwell and Kelly, Great niece Tami Cornwall and Aaron, Great-great nephews Keegan Burwell and Braden Burwell and Great-great niece McKenna Burwell, and lifelong friend Joanne Keyes.
James Funeral Home of Huntersville, NC is serving the family of Dr. Cornwall and online condolences can be made to www.jamesfuneralhomelkn.com
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