11/26/2025
Rev. Fred R. Cornelius
Age 91 of Jellico, Tennessee (formerly of Monroe, Michigan) passed away Saturday, November 22, 2025, at the Methodist Medical Center in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. He was born October 15, 1934, in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Rev. Cornelius was the Senior Pastor of the N. Monroe St. Church of God, for 40 years, from 1960 – 2000. He moved to Jellico, Tennessee from 2004-2006 to serve as the General Overseer of the Church of God Mountain Assembly, and then again in 2020 to retire.
He is preceded in death by:
Parents: Rev. Roy and Mary (Yeary) Cornelius
Sister: Wilma (Cornelius) Ball
Brother: Ralph Cornelius
Father-in-law and Mother-in-law: Rev. Paul & Virgel Grubbs
Sisters-in-law: Gloria Wright and Lavenda Callahan
Brothers-in-law: Lacy Wigginton, Frank Rineair, William Mosher, George Wright
He is survived by:
His wife of 71 years, Marilynn (Grubbs) Cornelius
Children: Connie (Lewis) Philbeck of Monroe, MI, Keith (Faye) Cornelius of Jellico, TN and Kimberly (Kevin) Walden of Jellico, TN
Grandchildren: Ryan (Dory) Philbeck, Jay (Brooke) Philbeck, Jared (Sarah) Philbeck, Travis (Samantha) Philbeck, Carson (Emily) Cornelius, Kendall Raines, Ciara Cornelius, Kennedy (James) Crowder.
Great Grandchildren: Brendan, Reagan, Blake, Briggs, Brynn, Jayda, Jasmine, Tristan, Darby, Weston Philbeck; Jonah, Judah Cornelius; Sailor, Ace, Nash Raines (and another great-grandchild on the way).
Brother: Rev. David (Loretta) Cornelius of Kokomo, Indiana
Sisters: Mildred Rineair of Milford, OH; Ruth (Ron) Hunt of Greentown, IN
Sisters-in-law: Ina Mosher and Patricia Cornelius
Brother-in-law: Rev. Jerry (Lorinda) Grubbs
A host of nieces, nephews, friends & family to mourn his passing
Funeral Arrangements:
The family will receive friends for visitation Saturday, November 29th from 11am-1pm at the Jellico Church of God Mountain Assembly, where the funeral will begin at 1pm.
Officiating: Rev. David Cornelius and Rev. Scott Landes
Interment will follow in the Douglas Cemetery Wooldrdige, Tennessee.
The Llewellyn Funeral Home of Jellico honored to serve the family.