Cornelia Yvonne "Teeny" Ship

Cornelia Yvonne Ship "Teeny"  of Cincinnati, OH died on December 4, 2024, while visiting her beloved sister Annie in New Jersey. She leaves behind a lasting legacy of love for her family and friends, compassion for those in need, and the unmatched ability to show her love by baking a special treat that always made someone’s day.

Cornelia was born in Cincinnati, Ohio on March 9, 1952, to the late Cornell and Catherine Wilson. As a child, she attended Rockdale Elementary School, Samuel Ach Junior High and Aiken High School. She enjoyed a 32-year career with Cincinnati Bell. In her spare time, Cornelia loved to travel and was fortunate and grateful to see a lot of the world.

Cornelia was baptized at the 2nd Corinthian Baptist Church and later found a church home at Lincoln Heights Missionary Baptist Church, where she was a member of the Bread and Thread Ministry. She was also a part of the adult choir for many years.

Cornelia never met a stranger. There were her line-dancing friends, her pool friends from Drake and the YMCA, her Cincinnati Bell friends, her childhood friends, her church friends, her family friends and more. She made friends everywhere she went, and they became like family to her. Cornelia loved to laugh, and her laugh was so distinctive that one couldn’t help but smile and laugh along with her. She also remembered everyone’s birthday – not just family, but even people she had only met briefly. She was always putting a card or something special in the mail for someone’s birthday.

She always used her talents and creativity to bring joy to others and show them they were loved. Cornelia enjoyed quilting, crocheting and knitting, often making sweaters, hats, scarves, quilts and blankets for loved ones. She also made ornaments, potholders, bag holders and “the world’s best dish cloths,” which everyone loved. She worked the entire year to have enough homemade dish cloths to give away as Christmas gifts.

Cornelia also shared her skills and talents with others. She taught quilting for UC’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute and taught knitting and crocheting at a senior living center. She made therapy dolls and preemie hats for Cincinnati Children’s. She volunteered at Cincinnati’s Ronald McDonald House for many years and was a mentor at Bloom Middle School. Every year she bought hats and gloves for elementary school children.

As a beloved home cook, Cornelia consistently showed her love through food. She was legendary for her cooking and baking talents and would make friends and family their favorite treats for their birthdays or just because. She knew everyone’s favorites, whether it was homemade biscuits, a pound cake, peach cobbler or pickles. And she shared her recipes freely so that they could be replicated later.

Cornelia’s proudest accomplishment was her beloved and loving daughter, Rashundra “Shawnie” Dukes. As a single mom, Cornelia was determined to raise Shawnie to be able to take care of herself. She taught her to make her own cereal and sandwiches when she was four years old, and by age five Shawnie could walk to the neighborhood Kroger by herself and fulfill her mom’s shopping list. Cornelia was a dedicated mother to her “baby girl,” and she loved her granddaughters Tyra and Leah to pieces and remembered every detail about their lives. She was so proud of them for being good people and doing so well in school, as it was so important to her that they focused on their education.

In addition to her daughter Shawnie and son-in-law Dwayne Dukes, Cornelia is survived by her sisters Annie (Al) and Barbara; her brothers Karamo, Darrell (Tanya), Leonard, Benjamin, Dwight (Charlotte) and Ronnie; her beloved grandchildren Tyra, Leah, Lae-Kwam, LaTor-Rhea (Theron) and Ryen.  She also adored her nieces and nephews, whom she cared for as if they were her own: Vernon “Chuma,” Lonnell, Shaka, Akilah, Musa, Marquetta, Jovan, Darrell Jr., Dominque, Joshua, Caleena and Joel, as well as many other relatives and close friends whom she cared for and loved deeply. She is also pre-deceased by her beloved mini poodle Pierre.

The family requests that you not send flowers. If you would like to honor Cornelia’s memory, please consider a gift to Cincinnati’s Ronald McDonald House (rmhcincinnati.org; 341 Erkenbrecher Ave, Cincinnati, OH, 45229). Alternatively, Cornelia would have loved if family and friends supported her granddaughter Tyra’s graduate studies in physical therapy at Mt. St. Joseph; a gift to this fund can be made at https://gofund.me/e0ed560d.