BRYAN, TX — After a courageous battle with cancer, Linda Cornelius, a former Olympian, and Aggie-alumni has passed away.
Since Oct last year, Cornelius also served the City of Bryan as their Director of Parks, Recreation, and Facilities.
During this service to the community, Cornelius is created for multiple high-profile initiatives, including the opening of the City Course at the Phillips Event Center and the construction of Edgewater Park.
An advocate for local recreation, she championed the city’s efforts to upgrade and improve community neighborhood parks. All in order to provide safe and fun places for families to enjoy.
On June 8, Cornelius was honored by the City of Bryan, through a resolution they passed to name one of the fields at the recently renovated Travis Fields ballpark after her.
“Linda was a rare individual who excelled on and off the field – she is a legend,” Mayor Nelson shared in a press release. “We continue to pray for Linda and her family.”
An Aggie herself, Cornelius grated from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor's degree in Health and Physical Education. At Texas A&M, she was a successful athlete as a four-time All-American and letter winner in track from 1976 to 1979 and was a member of the 1980 United States Olympic Team.
Cornelius would later become the first woman inducted into the Texas A&M Hall of Fame in 1988. Making her the first woman of any Southwest Conference school, to be inducted into a university sports hall of fame.
She received the Texas Amateur Athletic Federation (T.A.A.F) President's Award in 1991, 1993, and 2010 and was inducted into the T.A.A.F Hall of Fame for Parks and Recreation Administrative and Athletic Achievements in 1997.
She also received the Texas Recreation and Parks Society Presidents Award in 2014.
“Linda truly will be missed as a strong and caring individual who was passionate about parks and recreation, but even more passionate about people,” shared Deputy City Manager Hugh Walker in a news release. “She treasured her employees and felt a strong obligation to make every citizen’s life better by enhancing quality of life.”
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