Elwin Cornell was the 40th President of the Norwich Rotary Club, serving from 1959-60.
“Red” as he was commonly known, was born on June 18th, 1911 in Brooklyn, New York. He was the eldest of Benjamin and Dorothy Cornell’s two sons. His father was a newspaper editor.
In 1930, he was working as a bank clerk in Hackensack, New Jersey. During World War II, he served in Europe with the 97th Infantry Division and earned the Bronze Star and Combat Infantry Badge. After the war, he served with the Connecticut Army-National Guard, and retired in 1971 as a full Colonel.
He married Thelma Forsberry in 1942, and they were married for 50 years. He had two sons, Frank and James.
Cornell was the Scout Executive of the Eastern Connecticut Council of the Boy Scouts of America. He came to Norwich in 1951, having been promoted to that post from the Theodore Roosevelt Council on Long Island, where he served as Assistant Scout Executive.
Cornell was instrumental in the construction of June Norcross Webster Scout Reservation in Ashford, Connecticut. The Cornell Lodge at the camp is named for him. Each year, the Friends of Webster presents the Elwin “Red” Cornell Service Award.
He was also a member of the Quaker Hill Rod and Gun Club.
Elwin Cornell passed away on December 18th, 1992.