Friends and family are mourning the loss of the long-time owner of one of Muskoka’s oldest resorts.
On April 15 Robert “Bob” Cornell passed away at the age of 90 at Andy’s House in Port Carling.
Cornell spent more than 50 years working at Clevelands House resort in Minett and was the owner from 1969 until 2007. His love affair with Clevelands House began in the 1940s when his parents visited on a family holiday.
“I came here during the summers with my parents for a vacation from the time I was 10 until I was 14. I’d never seen a place where you could park your car and not see it for a week. It had everything,” said Cornell in 2007 when Cleveland’s House was sold to Ken Fowler Enterprises. “I wrote a letter to the former owner Mr. (Arthur) Minett asking for a job. I told him I was 16 but really I was only 14.”
Cornell eventually worked his way up to manager, and along the way found the love of his life, Fran, who was working as a waitress at the resort.
Fran and Bob worked tirelessly after becoming owners in 1969 to expand the hotel into one of Canada’s largest family-owned resorts.
Bob Cornell is survived by his wife Fran, his three children and several grandchildren.
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