Brought
to you by:
Brought
to you by:

Loretta Cornelius 1936-2026

Loretta Cornelius, 89, of Chambersburg, PA, passed away February 9, 2026, at Providence Place Assisted Living In Chambersburg.

Loretta Cornelius
Loretta Cornelius

She was born October 20, 1936, in New York City, the daughter of Mary and William Smith.

Loretta retired from Letterkenny Army Depot after 30 years, she and her husband spent their retirement traveling which they really enjoyed together.

She was an avid bingo player, she crocheted and gardened. She enjoyed cooking, baking and spending time with her family. If there was something Loretta didn’t know how to do, she would give it a shot.

She belonged to the Second Evangelical Lutheran Church of Chambersburg and was an active member for many years. 

Loretta is survived by her son; Blair and wife Josie Cornelius, Grandchildren; Justin Cornelius, Andrea Mechling (Dan), Amber Reed (Mike), Matthew Reed, Great-grandchildren; Zachary and Colton Cornelius, Lola and Sophia Mechling.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband of 61 years, Blair (Herb), Daughter; Tina Cornelius Reed.

A graveside service will be held Wednesday, February 18, 2026 at 10:30 a.m. at Parklawns Memorial Gardens in Chambersburg PA.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Cumberland Valley Humane Society, 5051 Letterkenny Rd W, Chambersburg PA, 17201 in Loretta’s name.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Loretta, please visit the floral store.


MORE OBITUARIES


Runaway Juvenile

On 11/05/26 at 0725 hours, Spencer Newman ran away from his residence. Newman is 5’9, 125 pounds, white male, brown eyes, brown hair and was last seen wearing a brown

Fred Allen Blocher 1943-2026

Fred Allen Blocher, 83, of Gardners, PA passed away Saturday, October 24 2026 at his home. Born October 19, 1943 in Gettysburg, he was the son of the late Fred

Frank Charles Henry 1945-2026

Born January 4, 1945 in Washington, D.C., Frank was an avid Civil War enthusiast who loved to share his knowledge with others.

Who We Are

The Franklin County Free Press, established by Vicky Taylor in 2019, emerged as a beacon of local journalism for the residents of Franklin County. Under Vicky's leadership, it quickly became an essential source of news, particularly at a time when major newspaper publications were increasingly overlooking local coverage.

On January 1, 2022, the torch was passed to Nathan Neil and his firm, Neil Publishing, LLC. Neil, a local entrepreneur with multiple thriving businesses in Chambersburg, shares Vicky's fervent commitment to both the community and the world of local journalism.

Rooted in the heart of Franklin County and powered by its residents, the Franklin County Free Press continues to bridge the gap, ensuring that the local stories, events, and issues that matter most to the community remain in the spotlight.