John Cornelius Sedona: The WWII Veteran Who Raised Over $350,000 for Fellow Vets
Some people talk about honoring veterans. John Cornelius actually did it for decades, without stopping, until the very end of his life.
If you have ever heard the name John Cornelius Sedona, you have heard the name of a man who turned his own wartime experience into a lifelong mission to help the veterans who needed it most. His story is not complicated. It is simply one of the most consistent acts of community service that Arizona has ever seen from a single individual.
This article covers who John Cornelius was, what he built, why it still matters today, and how his legacy continues to support hospitalized veterans in Prescott, Arizona.
Who Was John Cornelius of Sedona?
John Cornelius was born on April 23, 1918, and passed away on April 5, 2017, just 18 days shy of his 99th birthday. He lived for most of his later years in the Village of Oak Creek, a community just south of Sedona, Arizona.
He was not a politician or a celebrity. He was a soldier, a neighbor, and a man who decided that veterans in long-term hospital care deserved more than what the government provided and then spent the better part of two decades doing something about it.
His Service in World War II
John Cornelius joined the U.S. Army in 1940. He had actually tried to enlist in both the Marine Corps and the Navy first, but was turned down by both branches because of buck teeth. The Army took him, and that decision led to five years of combat service overseas.
He served as a First Lieutenant in the 85th Infantry Division, working as both an infantry commander and a staff intelligence officer. His assignments took him across North Africa and Italy, two of the most grueling theaters of the entire war. For his service, he was awarded two Bronze Stars.
When Cornelius came home, he carried the weight of that experience with him. He never forgot what it meant to serve, and he never forgot the men who did not come home ,or the ones who came home changed forever.
The Cornelius Veterans Hospital Benefit Raffle
The centerpiece of John Cornelius’ legacy in Sedona is the Veterans Hospital Benefit Raffle, now officially named in his honor.
He launched the fundraiser in the early 2000s as a way to help veterans staying at the Bob Stump Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Prescott, Arizona. The VA hospital provides essential medical care, but it does not cover the personal comfort items that make a long hospital stay bearable. Cornelius wanted to close that gap.
What the Raffle Funds
The money raised through the Cornelius raffle goes directly to the Patient Discretionary Fund at the Prescott VA Medical Center. That fund pays for things the hospital budget does not cover, including:
- Welcome kits with comforters and personal care items for newly admitted patients
- DVD movies and entertainment for long-term residents
- Birthday and Christmas gifts
- Occasional parties and social events throughout the year
- Overnight stays for family members traveling from out of town to visit patients
“I want to raise enough money so our veterans who have to be in the hospital can have some extras and maybe some luxuries items the government doesn’t provide,” Cornelius said in a 2011 interview with the Sedona Red Rock News.
That quote tells you everything about his motivation. It was not about recognition. It was about dignity.
How He Raised the Money
Every year, starting on Memorial Day and running through Pearl Harbor Day on December 7th, Cornelius would set up at Clark’s Market in the Village of Oak Creek and sell raffle tickets. He also made rounds at local golf courses, collecting donations and selling tickets wherever he could find willing buyers.
The prizes came from businesses across the Sedona area gift certificates, experiences, and donated items from both local and out-of-state supporters. He kept every part of the operation lean so that the maximum amount of money could reach the veterans.
By the time of his death in 2017, the raffle had raised more than $250,000 for the Prescott VA Medical Center. That figure, raised by one man at a grocery store and on golf courses, is remarkable by any measure.
A Man Who Attracted Attention From the Best
The impact of John Cornelius’ work reached far beyond Sedona.
His annual golf tournament fundraiser brought the attention of some of the biggest names in professional golf. Both Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson were among the notable figures who took notice of what Cornelius was doing. That kind of recognition does not happen by accident. It happens when the cause is genuine and the person behind it is relentless.
The Prescott VA Medical Center’s assistant manager for public affairs said it plainly in 2011: “John is probably the most important donor we have. Without him we wouldn’t be able to do some of the things we can now. We all need a lot more people like him.”
That kind of praise from the people running the facility is not flattery. It is a direct acknowledgment of how much of a difference one committed person can make.
His Legacy: The Raffle Lives On
When John Cornelius passed away in April 2017, he left a hole in the Sedona veteran support community. But he also left behind something that could outlast him, a fundraising model that worked, a community that believed in it, and a name worth honoring.
The Rotary Club of Sedona Village stepped in to continue the work. In 2020, the raffle came officially under the Rotary umbrella, ensuring that the fundraising infrastructure had organizational backing to keep going.
Today, the raffle is known as the Cornelius Veterans Hospital Benefit Raffle, and it runs three times a year on Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, and Veterans Day weekends. The Rotary Club sets up a tent in front of Clark’s Market in Sedona each time, just as Cornelius used to do himself.
The effort is now led by retired Air Force Colonel Rob Schaefer and Cornelius’ own daughter, Cathleen Banister-Marx, who carries her father’s memory into every event she participates in.
As of the most recent fundraising milestones, the raffle has raised over $350,000 for the Prescott VA Medical Center, a number that continues to grow with each holiday weekend.
Why John Cornelius Sedona Matters Today
It would be easy to read this story and feel warmly about it, nod, and move on. But the story of John Cornelius Sedona actually has something practical to say about the gaps in veteran care that still exist.
The VA system provides critical medical services to millions of veterans across the country. But long-term hospital care is a different kind of experience than a typical medical stay. For veterans who may be there for weeks, months, or even years, the absence of small comforts, a warm blanket, a birthday card, a movie to watch, is not a trivial thing. It is the difference between feeling forgotten and feeling valued.
Cornelius understood this because he had served. He knew what it meant to be far from home, relying on the people around you. His fundraising was an extension of that same sense of responsibility.
His story also shows what is possible when a single person decides to act consistently over a long period of time. He was not wealthy. He did not run a nonprofit with staff and a marketing budget. He was a veteran selling raffle tickets at a grocery store, showing up every year because the people in that hospital needed him to show up.
How You Can Support the Cornelius Legacy in Sedona
If you live in or near Sedona and want to support the work John Cornelius started, the path is straightforward.
The Rotary Club of Sedona Village runs the Cornelius Veterans Hospital Benefit Raffle three times a year near Clark’s Market in the Village of Oak Creek. You can buy raffle tickets during Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and Veterans Day weekends. Every ticket purchase contributes directly to the Patient Discretionary Fund at the Prescott VA Medical Center.
You can also learn more about the club’s veterans initiatives by visiting sedonavillagerotary.org. The Rotary Club also hosts an annual Veterans Day ceremony at Sedona Winds assisted living community, where they recognize local veterans who can no longer get out on their own.
If you are a business owner in the Sedona area, donating a gift certificate or prize for the raffle is one of the most direct ways to contribute. The raffle depends on local business participation to keep the prize pool strong and ticket sales high.
Frequently Asked Questions About John Cornelius Sedona
Who was John Cornelius and why is he significant to Sedona?
John Cornelius was a World War II veteran and longtime resident of the Village of Oak Creek, just outside Sedona, Arizona. He is significant because he spent roughly two decades raising money for the Patient Discretionary Fund at the Bob Stump VA Medical Center in Prescott, ultimately collecting more than $250,000 during his lifetime. His commitment to fellow veterans, sustained entirely through personal effort and community support, made him one of the most impactful individual donors the Prescott VA Medical Center ever had. His legacy lives on through the raffle that now bears his name.
What is the Cornelius Veterans Hospital Benefit Raffle and how does it work?
The Cornelius Veterans Hospital Benefit Raffle is an annual fundraising event held three times a year on Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and Veterans Day weekends,in front of Clark’s Market in the Village of Oak Creek near Sedona. The Rotary Club of Sedona Village sells raffle tickets to the public, with prizes donated by local businesses. All proceeds go directly to the Patient Discretionary Fund at the Prescott VA Medical Center, which uses the money to purchase comfort items, entertainment, and personal care products for long-term hospital residents that the VA budget does not cover.
How much money has been raised in John Cornelius’ name for veterans?
The fundraising effort started by John Cornelius has now raised over $350,000 for the Prescott VA Medical Center. During his own lifetime, Cornelius raised more than $250,000. Since the Rotary Club of Sedona Village took over management of the raffle in 2020, that total has continued to climb. The funds go entirely to the Patient Discretionary Fund, which supports hospitalized veterans with comfort items not provided by the government.
What branch of the military did John Cornelius serve in, and where did he serve?
John Cornelius served in the U.S. Army, having been rejected by both the Marine Corps and the Navy when he first tried to enlist in 1940. He served for five years as a First Lieutenant in the 85th Infantry Division, working as an infantry commander and staff intelligence officer in North Africa and Italy during World War II. He received two Bronze Stars for his service. His firsthand experience of what it means to serve, and what veterans need, directly shaped his decades of fundraising work in Sedona.
Who continues John Cornelius’ work in Sedona today?
John Cornelius’ work is now carried on by the Rotary Club of Sedona Village, which officially adopted the raffle in 2020 to ensure it had organizational support to continue after his passing. The effort is currently led by retired Air Force Colonel Rob Schaefer and Cathleen Banister-Marx, who is John Cornelius’ daughter. Together, they organize the three annual raffle weekends and continue to build on the foundation he created. The raffle now raises approximately $15,000 per year for the Prescott VA Medical Center.
Why did John Cornelius focus on the Prescott VA Medical Center specifically?
John Cornelius was based in the Village of Oak Creek, which is in the Sedona area of Arizona. The Bob Stump Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Prescott is the closest major VA facility to that region, and it serves many of the veterans in the area who require long-term inpatient care. Cornelius saw a specific gap between what the hospital could officially provide and what patients actually needed for a dignified quality of life. His choice to focus on that facility was practical ,it was nearby, he had relationships there, and the staff confirmed that his contributions were making a measurable difference.
Conclusion
The story of John Cornelius Sedona is a reminder that legacy is built through consistency, not spectacle.
He was a 93-year-old man sitting inside a grocery store selling raffle tickets. He was a 97-year-old veteran who had not stopped working on behalf of people who needed help. He did not have a nonprofit budget or a public relations team. He had a cause he believed in and a community that trusted him enough to keep showing up.
The raffle he started has now raised over $350,000. It runs three times a year without him. His daughter carries the work forward. The Rotary Club carries the work forward. And every veteran in the Prescott VA Medical Center who receives a warm comforter or a birthday gift carries it forward too, even if they never knew his name.
If you are in the Sedona area around Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, or Veterans Day, stop by Clark’s Market. Buy a raffle ticket. It is one of the most direct ways you will ever find to put money exactly where it needs to go.
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