Poet, Author, and Veteran, Cornel Spalding-Brown, of Bloomfield and Irvington, New Jersey, died on August 31, 2021. He was 72 years old.
Cornel was born April 30, 1949 in Jamaica, West Indies. Cornel’s passion for sharing the arts came to life in Kingston, Jamaica where, as a Correction Officer, he taught reading, writing and mathematics to inmates at the Jamaica Prison Service.
Cornel migrated to United States in 1981 where his life of service continued, this time as a Field Medic and Eye Technician in the US Army.
Cornel’s proudest honors included his published books of poetry, Wind Chimes (2004) and Flight From Friendly Fire (2017). Cornel was proclaimed as the poet laureate of the Township of Irvington from 1999 until 2005.
A viewing service to celebrate his life will be held 10am-12 noon, Friday 9/17/2021 at Cotton Funeral Services of Newark, NJ followed by Service Interment at Hollywood Memorial Park Cemetery, Union, NJ