Eric Jay Cornelison

Eric Jay Cornelison, age 46, passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, February 12, 2023, at his home in Edmond, OK. A memorial service will be held in Seminole, OK, at Swearingen Funeral Home at 2:00 PM, Monday, February 20, 2023. Bill Nelson, Elder, Central Church of Christ, Ada, OK, will officiate. Burial will follow in Little Cemetery. Casket bearers will be Ryan Dulworth, Mike Haines, Barrett Johnson, Doug Lucas, Michael Softcheck, and William Webb.

Eric, the only child of Michael and Deborah Cornelison, was born in Shawnee, OK, on March 18, 1976. The first four years of his life were spent in Seminole, continually influenced by his extended family, including maternal and paternal grandparents and great-grandmothers. In 1980 he and his parents moved to Ada, OK, where he attended Ada City Schools. Eric was baptized when a teenager at Southwest Church of Christ in Ada. He was a 1993 Oklahoma State Tennis Champion in doubles and graduated from Ada High School in 1994. Eric attended the University of Oklahoma and Seminole State College. He later obtained a Class A CDL after completing Roadmasters Drivers School in Tampa, FL.

Eric worked in automobile sales for several years in Oklahoma City and Tulsa. In 2009, while managing a call center, he met Christina Softcheck, a telecom representative from New Jersey. They began their life together when Eric moved to New Jersey in February 2010. There, Eric was a union truck driver for a beer distributorship. Their first son, Jake, was born in 2011, and Max was born in 2014. Eric was a devoted husband and father.

In October 2021, Eric and family moved to Edmond, OK. At the time of his passing, Eric was happily employed as a delivery driver for Republic National Distributing Company in Oklahoma City. As always, he enjoyed interacting with colleagues and customers, many of whom became and remained friends over the years.

Eric was an avid sports fan, particularly of OU football, the San Francisco 49ers, and the New York Yankees. He loved playing pool and cooking for his family and friends, especially on his outdoor grills. He highly valued and demonstrated trust and loyalty to others.

Eric is survived by Christina, his wife; Jake and Max, sons; Deborah Cornelison, mother; Betty Brown, maternal grandmother; Michael and Linda Softcheck, father-in-law and mother-in-law; Michael Softcheck IV and wife Julie, brother-in-law and sister-in-law; Margaret Pierce, grandmother-in-law; Lola Cornelison Davisson, step-grandmother; and numerous other relatives and friends. His chosen pets, Chico the Chihuahua and Ace the Labrador Retriever, also survive and miss Eric.

Eric was predeceased by Michael Cornelison, his father; Elbert Brown, his maternal grandfather; Claude and Patricia Cornelison, his paternal grandparents; and William Pierce, maternal grandfather-in-law.

Arrangements are under the direction of Swearingen Funeral Home in Seminole, Oklahoma.