Ronald Burgess Cornelow (“Butch”) passed away unexpectedly, yet peacefully on August 28, 2026, at the age of 85, surrounded by his loving family.
Born on August 26, 1941, in Florence, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Ron was the second oldest of four boys and was raised by his “Granny White”(mother Hazel). As a young boy, he worked in the coal mines, shortly after on a farm, and then made his way to Montreal, Whitby, and ultimately Victoria in 1975 with his small family.
He will be deeply missed and infinitely loved by his daughter Alanna, son-in-law David, and grandchildren Chiara and Ruggiero, as well as his extended family and numerous friends in Montreal, Cape Breton, Ontario, and Victoria.
Ron was an exceptional concrete tradesman and created a successful small business, ‘RBC Concrete Finishing,’ which he worked at passionately for much of his life. Even when he retired in his mid-70s, he always had a project on the go. He was genuine, funny, engaging, bold, full of energy, and loved life immensely. He was a ‘character’ and made a lasting impression on everyone he met. He was gracious, generous, and an incredibly supportive father and grandfather.
Throughout his life, he enjoyed golfing, fishing, gardening, animals, NASCAR racing, and cars. He was a collector of Corvettes and owned many in his lifetime. He was also an avid traveler and Elvis’s biggest fan; he had moves on the dance floor and loved music immensely. He was a bright light wherever he went—confident, a leader, and seemingly unconquerable. He seemed to know something about everything.
Our family feels an immeasurable sense of loss for our gregarious, big-hearted father and grandfather who was ALWAYS there for us with helping hands and infinite wisdom. He truly was special, larger than life, and one of a kind. Our memories of you we will hold close, and our love for you is infinite.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, October 10, 2026, between 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm at the Trafalgar Pro Patria Legion, 411 Gorge Road. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Help Fill A Dream Foundation.
Condolences may be offered to the family below.
McCall Gardens
www.mccallgardens.com
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4 Responses
My condolences to David, Alanna, Chiara and Ruggiero. Your grandpa was a rare soul that lit up the room and made everyone feel special. My fondest childhood memories are of uncle Butch coming for a visit. He always brought his lively personality, his naughty jokes and his wild stories of travel. He would pull out his pack of cigarettes, grab a beer and commence recounting his latest adventures. It seemed like he was always jetting off somewhere fun and living life to the fullest. I remember him telling us about traveling to Daytona Beach for NASCAR, vacationing in Palm Beach, and wintering in Thailand and many more places. It seemed like wherever uncle Butch was was the place to be. It was his stories that made me dream about leaving my small town and seeing the world. Even though Uncle Butch has passed on, he will remain in our heart.
Shawn Cornelow & Nathalie Dore
If there was ever one in a million…it was Ron….full of life and laughter…BIG HEART..generous to a fault….I will miss you my friend…R.I.P….See you on the other side..
Dubby
There are no words that can truly express how much it hurts to lose my brother we shared so many memories, laughs and moments that will carry with me for the rest of my life. It’s hard to believe that you’re no longer here, a part of my life and memories will always be connected to you, and i will always be grateful that I was lucky enough to call you my brother. Although my heart is heavy I want to hold onto the good memories the laughter, the stories and all the little moments that made our time together so special those are things I will cherish forever. You will always have a place in my heart and I will never forget you. Rest peacefully my brother until we meet again.
You loving brother.
You don’t meet too many people like Ron in your life but we were fortunate to have him as a friend.
Ron had a certain kind of class and was a genuine person .I really respected him. He was one of the hardest working men I ever met but still knew how to have a good time. One hell of a guy.
We are very sad in his passing our condolences go out to his family.
Ron, you will be missed,
Pete and Lori Kiernan