Patricia Louise (Sander) Corning, age 92, left this life Friday, Jan. 21, 2022, to join our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, as is promised in Holy Scripture. Already there waiting for her are her husband, Charles H. Corning; parents, Leo P. Sander and Mary Elizabeth (Lyndon) Sander; sister, Carol (Sander) Luebering; and grandson, Matthew Thomas Corning. Pat is survived by her sons, Tom and Kevin; their spouses, Kim (Bujnowski) Corning and Mary Rose (Neven) Corning; granddaughters, Julia (Corning) Miller and Colleen (Corning) Griggs; and great grandsons, Charles Matthew Miller, William Matthew Griggs, James Thomas Miller, and Wesley Thomas Griggs. Born June 8, 1929 in Atchison, Kansas and raised in Topeka during the Depression and War Years, Pat met Charles Corning while both were in attendance at Catholic Colleges in Denver. Married shortly after graduation, they first settled in Fort Belvoir, Va., during his military service, followed by happy years in Columbus, Ohio. Pat and Charles ultimately made Elmhurst their long-time home, residing on Avon Road for over 55 years. They raised their sons in Elmhurst, where Pat was an active member in civic, cultural, volunteer, and spiritual affairs of the community. Within the context of her always cheerful and pleasant personality, Pat was a passionately creative seamstress and was accomplished in all forms of needlework. Utilizing her collegiate education, where she was a Magna Cum Laude Graduate in Mathematics, Pat was a longtime volunteer in assisting the elderly in Elmhurst to prepare their income taxes. She loved her grandchildren very much and was always at the sideline for support during their activities growing up. In her final years, she lived near her son in Highland Park in Assisted Living and is most remarkably remembered by the staff there as a bright beacon of cheer, optimism, and by her always pleasant demeanor. Before COVID restrictions precluded her attendance, she was a parishioner and regular Sunday Mass attender at Immaculate Conception Church across the street from her Highland Park residence. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 28, at Visitation Catholic Church, 779 S. York St., Elmhurst. Family and friends may meet for viewing and visit in the Church’s Fireside Room from 9 a.m. until the time of the Mass. Interment will immediately follow at St. Mary Cemetery, Elmhurst. Memorials may be written to the Elmhurst Yorkfield Food Pantry, 1083 S. York St., Elmhurst; or Catholic Charities – Downers Grove, 3130 Finley Road., Suite 520, Downers Grove, IL 60515. A special thank you to Sunrise Senior Living staff and especially Director Felicite Clements who loved and always treated Pat as family. Arrangements provided by Elmhurst Community Funeral Home – The Ahlgrim Chapel. Info: 630-834-3515 or www.elmhurstfh.com.
