Prague Cemetery

Prague, Pottatomie County, Oklahoma

© Parks Brothers Funeral Home
Submitted by: Terry Dudley

John Allen Cornelius

November 15, 1964 ~ September 11, 2022

John Allen Cornelius, of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, passed away on September 11, 2022 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, at the age of 57. John was born in Hobart, Oklahoma. He was the son of James Darrell Cornelius and Geneva Lurene (Gilbert) Cornelius. John's father, James, was a Church of Christ preacher and he and his family lived in Hobart, Edmond, Asher and eventually settled in Prague. After moving to Prague, John, attended Prague Public Schools and was a 1983 graduate of Prague High School. Shortly after graduation, John married Melissa Jean Navrath and the two were married until his death. The couple raised three children.

John was a hard worker. There wasn't anything he could not build or fix. He was a jack of all trades and mastered a few. Throughout his career, he worked as a mechanic, managed an auto parts store, worked at Tinker Air Force Base and spent some time working in the oil field. In his spare time, John enjoyed woodworking, building beautiful furniture out of recycled materials and working in his garden.

John was preceded in death by his father, James Darrell Cornelius and one brother, Kevin Cornelius.

He is survived by his loving wife of 39 years, Melissa Jean Cornelius; his mother, Geneva "Lurene" Cornelius; three children, Stacy Hayes and her husband, Josh, Carrie Standlee and her husband, Mark and Dustin Cornelius; nine grandchildren, Madison, Colin, Tatum, Gavin, Logan, Riley, Nixon, Cadence and Corbin; two sisters, Karen Watkins and her husband, Rafe and LeeAnn Kennedy; one brother, David Cornelius and his wife, Debbie and host of nieces, nephews, family and friends.