Rapid City - Cora Corneliuson, 88, died Tuesday, May 8, 2018 at the St. Martins Village in Rapid City.

Cora Rebecca Olmstead was born January 13, 1930 in Rapid City, SD. She was the third of four children, and the second of three daughters of Elmer H. and Catherine R. (Griggs) Olmstead.

She attended schools in Rapid City and graduated from Rapid City High School in 1948 and the Black Hills Area School of Practical Nursing in 1972. She also attended the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology in Rapid City, and received additional credits from the University of South Dakota in Vermillion, SD.

Cora and Joe Corneliuson were married in Rapid City on January 21, 1949. They lived in Rapid City while Joe pursued a career in Law Enforcement, retiring as a Captain on the Rapid City Police Department in 1978. Three children were born to their marriage – Catherine, Brett, and Troy. Joe died in 1984.

Cora was employed at Bennett-Clarkson Memorial Hospital in Rapid City, and later at Rapid City Regional Hospital in Obstetrics and Gynecology from 1072 until 1990. She loved going to work each day "where life begins."

She served on the Advisory Board of Western Dakota Vo-Tech for the Licensed Practical Nursing program. She was a long-time member of the Black Hills Writers Group. Cora was a charter member of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Rapid City.

Cora married Victor Heinz in Rapid City on March 7, 1992, and at that time moved to his home in Sioux Falls. The marriage ended in divorce in 2000, and they remained friends until his death in 2002.

While she lived in Sioux Falls she was a Hospice Volunteer at Sioux Valley Hospital.

Preceded in death were her parents, her husband, her son Brett Corneliuson, her half-brother and half-sister: Donald Brenner and Gertrude Brenner Wright, her sisters: Inez Olmstead Miller and Doris Olmstead Kilgore, and her brother Elmer C. Olmstead.

Survivors include her daughter Catherine (Kenny) Zumbaum of Custer; her son Troy (Mary) Corneliuson of Black Hawk; grandchildren: Heather (Troy) Merchen of Newcastle, WY, Joshua Godfrey of Rapid City, Cameron (Christy) Corneliuson and Kyle (Amanda Van Beek) Corneliuson of Rapid City. Cora also has three great-grandchildren: Garrett, Kendra, and Marshall Merchen of Newcastle.

Visitation will be from 1:00-2:00 pm Tuesday at Westminster Church Chapel with the Funeral Service at 2:00 pm with Rev. Bob Jacobs officiating.

Burial will be at Mt. View Cemetery, Rapid City.