HOLLIS – Anita Louise Hill (Cornish), age 91, passed peacefully on May 17, 2021 with the support of her family by her side.
She was born in Saco, Maine on February 20, 1930 to Carleton and Mazie (Eaton) Hill. Anita had two younger sisters, Verlie and Kay Hill. After graduating from Hollis High School in 1948, Anita went on to study nursing at Maine General Hospital (Maine Medical Center today) where she graduated the Registered Nurse program in 1951.
Upon graduating nursing, Anita met William (Bill) Chester Cornish in Portland, Maine through mutual friends. They later married one another in 1953 in Kentucky before Bill deployed to serve in the Army in the Korean war. She moved home with her parents until Bill returned from Korea 3 years later in 1956. Anita and Bill had two children: Kenneth (Ken) Cornish born October 22, 1957 and Christine (Chris) Cornish born September 4, 1958. Ken met his wife of 34 years Amy Paige (Cornish) 45 years ago while in high school and Amy grew up living with Anita as her mother.
Everyone who knew Anita knew that she was one of the most caring and giving people in existence. For 50+ years, Anita was a well known and respected Registered Nurse at Maine Medical Center. For 26 years of her nursing career, she spread her knowledge and expertise to the next generation of Maine nurses through teaching students and guiding them in their practical hands on learning for Southern Maine Vocational Technical Institute (SMCC today) at Maine Medical Center.
Anita was a very dedicated and hard-working person and thus made retirement virtually impossible for her. She semi-retired for the first time in 1991 soon after the birth of her first grandchild Jennifer Lynn Cornish (Asquith) on April 30, 1990 and soon after her grandson Bradford William Cornish on November 19, 1993 was born. She continued working at Maine Medical in P3CD (Medical Surgical wing) as well as Webber Hospital until 2002/2003 where she attempted retiring for a second time. She continued teaching CNAs for Maine Medical Center until 2004 when she officially retired.
Everything in Anita’s life centralized around her family. Her caring nature which was shown throughout her entire career carried through completely into her personal life with her family and friends. When not cruising around town in her bright red Pontiac Firebird with her grandkids bringing Jenn to dance class and all their other after school activities, she loved having everyone over to her home to spend the summer days in the pool as well as spend time at Pine Point beach in Scarborough, Maine with her sister Kay and all the nieces and nephews. She was very well known for her involvement in the community and a diehard patriot of our country. Anita also absolutely loved her rescue pets over the years, especially her Boxer puppies Lucy and Reilly. With her infectiously caring and giving nature always on display, she was constantly donating to societies for assisting in the care of animals such as the Animal Welfare Society (AWS) and American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).
Anita is predeceased by her husband William (Bill) Cornish in 1990, her sister Verlie Hill (Surette) in 1999, and her sister Kay Hill (Genovese) in 2020.
She is survived by: her son and daughter in-law Ken and Amy Cornish of Limington; her daughter Christine Cornish of Hollis; her granddaughter and grandson in-law Jennifer Cornish (Asquith) and Daniel Asquith of Raymond who are expecting Anita’s first great granddaughter due in October; her grandson Bradford Cornish and his girlfriend Leigha Townsend of Hollis of whom both lived with and took care of Anita over the last 8 years; her nephew and his wife Shawn and Lucinda Surette of Buxton; her nephew and his wife Adam and Lisa Surette of Limington; her nephew and his wife Eric and Shannon Surette of Cornish; her niece Gina Genovese of Saco; her niece and her husband Tracie and Jody Hersey of Falmouth; her nephew and his wife Andrew and Katie Genovese of Windham; and many grand nieces, grand nephews, and too many friends to count.
Visiting hours will be held on Wednesday, May 26, 2021 from 11am to 1pm at the Chad E. Poitras Cremation and Funeral Service Chapel, 498 Long Plains Road, Buxton, ME. Graveside service and burial will immediately follow at Hillcrest Cemetery at 599 Plains Rd, Hollis Center, ME. Online condolence messages can be submitted at www.mainefuneral.com
In lieu of flowers, Anita wished her love and caring for animals to continue with memorial contributions to be made to the local Animal Welfare Society in Kennebunk at Animal Welfare Society - Donations
To our beloved Mom, Darmie, Aunt Neet: the impact you have made on all our lives has shaped us into the people you see today. We are all better for having you in our lives and blessed to have had so many incredible years loving you and having your unconditional love in return. To put this love into words is not possible when it is at such great magnitude, but we all know that we showed you this love and received it in return from you each and every single day. We will forever look back on all our memories from a life so full of love and joy with the utmost happiness knowing that you are there for us providing us care and support into the future. Thank you for being you and for making us into us.