Obituary of Scott P. Cornish

Scott P. Cornish, 64, of New Hartford, passed away on Wednesday, June 5, 2024, at his home.

He was born on December 19, 1959, in Rome, the son of Frank and Dolores (Waters) Cornish.

He was a 1978 graduate of Rome Free Academy.  Scott was previously employed by Jay K Lumber, New Hartford, for over twenty years.  Over the last eight years, he dedicated himself to the care and support of his mother and brothers in their final years.

Surviving are his sister, Beth Cornish, of Rome; and his brother, Steven P. (Elizabeth) Cornish, of Baldwin, NY; his niece, Jennifer (Zach) Bleiler; and his two nephews, Andrew Sciulli and Samuel Cornish.  Scott was predeceased by his parents; and his two brothers, Brian Cornish and Kevin Cornish.

Let us consider Scott a Renaissance Man, if such a person can be defined in this day and age by an extreme knowledge, fascination and love of everything in the world around him, especially music, movies, television, comedy, classic professional wrestling, public transport schedules, J. Wellington Wimpy (from the Popeye cartoons), advertising air dancers (which he called “inflatable nitwits”) and the great food and brilliant people one finds along the journey. 

He was a generous soul, always friendly and supportive to so many he came across, old friends and persons he just met who then had no choice but to be draw into friendship with him.  Including people he would become close with online but never physically meet.  He traveled tirelessly across New York State and New England via public transportation or the generosity of the like-minded who would give him rides (he never got a driver’s license or drove in his lifetime) to see live music.  His avid support for live music and working musicians was keenly felt by those performers who came to know him and see him frequently at their shows and to them he became more than just another face in the crowd.  The shows and musical acts he saw in his years on this earth are beyond measure.

From his young years until his passing, Scott was a born entertainer, first appearing in the title role in seventh grade in a production of “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown”, and in a number of other plays throughout middle school and high school.  In high school, Scott, his brother Steven and a number of friends formed an original comedy/music group called “The Holier Than Thou Music Appreciation League”, which performed in high school talent shows and a few times in bars around Rome, NY.  In more recent years, he combined his love of comedy and classic professional wrestling with hilarious results, regularly contributing content and characters to Brian Last’s 6:05 podcast on professional wrestling.  Scott loved this outlet and opportunity for his shining and very fast wit, and was very grateful to Brian for this opportunity and his friendship.  Most recently, Scott began taking to the stage around the state and New England performing his own original stand-up comedy.  His style seemed almost like an old school comedian from the 1950s or 1960s with a very dry sense of humor, unlike other contemporary stand-ups with whom he would perform.  And he was not above throwing some cheap prop humor or even a funny song into his set.

Scott traveled very far in his life if only within the Northeast, saw so much more than many of us can imagine, and developed, managed and maintained so many strong friendships along the way.  It takes a special energy and openness to the world around you to be like Scott.  But please try.  

Family and friends are invited and may call on Thursday, June 20, 2024, from 5:00 to 7:00 PM at the Nunn and Harper Funeral Home, Inc., 418 North George Street, Rome, NY.

Interment will take place on Friday, June 21, 2024 at 10:30 am in the Evergreen Cemetery, upper Turin Road in Rome, NY.

Given Scott’s remarkable love of music and working musicians, we recommend that you make donations to the following charity that supports working musicians in need of financial assistance:

MusiCares

https://musicares.org/

You may view the obituary and send the family a message of sympathy at: www.nunnandharper.com.