Stella Cornelius

Stella Cornelius
AO OBE
Born
Stella Cohen

(1919-12-04)4 December 1919
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Died20 December 2010(2010-12-20) (aged 91)
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Occupation(s)Businesswoman, peace activist

Stella Cornelius AO OBE (4 December 1919–20 December 2010) was an Australian businesswoman and peace activist.

Life

Stella Cornelius was the daughter of Jewish parents Kitty (née Annenberg) and tailor Isador Cohen. She was born on 4 December 1919 in Sydney.[1] She attended Newcastle Girls' High School and then completed a course in dress design at Newcastle Technical College.[2]

In 1943 she married Max Cornelius, a German Jewish furrier. They founded Cornelius Furs together, developing it into a leading retail business before selling it in 1977.[1][3]

She established the Peace and Conflict Resolution Program for the United Nations Association of Australia. Following her husband's death in 1978, she spent her life working towards conflict resolution and peace.[3]

She served as director of the International Year of Peace in Australia from 1984 to 1986.[3] She and her daughter Helena co-founded of the Conflict Resolution Network in 1986.[1]

Cornelius died in Sydney on 20 December 2010.[4]

Awards and recognition

Cornelius was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 1978 Queen's Birthday honours for "service to commerce".[5] She was subsequently appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in the 1987 Australia Day Honours for "service to international relations, particularly in the cause of peace".[6]

She was a life member of the Australian Red Cross and in 1999 Macquarie University awarded her an honorary doctorate.[3] She was one of the 1000 women worldwide who were nominated for the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b c Brown, Malcolm (8 January 2011). "Obituary: Stella Cornelius". Obituaries Australia. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  2. ^ "Peace and management". The Australian Jewish Times. Vol. 83, no. 38. New South Wales, Australia. 27 May 1976. p. 23. Retrieved 1 August 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Dr Stella Cornelius AO OBE, b. 1919". National Portrait Gallery people. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  4. ^ "Biography: Stella Cornelius". People Australia. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  5. ^ "Mrs Stella Cornelius". Australian Honours Search Facility. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  6. ^ "Mrs Stella Cornelius, OBE". Australian Honours Search Facility. Retrieved 1 August 2023.