Cornwell Dies of Liver Cancer
Sam Cornwell, a Palmetto resident, served five terms as Manatee's tax collector from 1972-1992.

By MARC BELISLE
Herald Staff Writer
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MANATEE - Former Manatee County Tax Collector and Palmetto resident Sam Cornwell died of liver cancer Thursday. He was 62.

Cornwell was well-known in Manatee County and throughout the state for his cost-effective innovations in tax collection, including a computerized auto-tag system, on-site collection of taxes and tag fees at mobile home parks, and allowing payment of tax bills at local banks.

Cornwell, a Palmetto resident, served five terms as Manatee's tax collector from 1972-1992.

"He was a very progressive young man with a lot of good ideas," said Jim Bishop of Gainesville, a friend of Cornwell's and tax collector of Alachua County. "He was always interested in serving the public faster and better, always looking for a better way to do things."

"We used to eat dinner a lot at meetings for the state tax collectors association. We'd get together and talk about what we were doing in our home counties. He was well respected."

Manatee County's current tax collector, Ken Burton Jr., was hired by Cornwell in 1985.

"He was well thought of by his colleagues and was very hands-on. He was one of the first tax collectors to establish branch offices," Burton said. "He saw the needs of a growing county, where the public needed to be serviced because the tax collector's office is one of the only government offices most people will come into contact with."

Though Cornwell took his job very seriously, friends and employees said he was funny and extremely compassionate.

"I remember that you could tell when he was in the building because when he would laugh it would just make the building shake," Burton said. "He was always real jovial and fun to be around."

Georgia Williams was an executive assistant for Cornwell for nearly 13 years.

"He was a wonderful man. All his employees adored him," she said. "He loved to play with his kids and horses."

Marsha Cornwell, Cornwell's wife, said he was always a gentleman.

"I've known him since I was 14 and he's always been the kindest person you'd ever want to know. He was loved by everyone," she said. "He has the biggest heart of anyone I've ever known. He always encouraged people to try and achieve the best they could. He loved his family and children very much."

Cornwell had been treated at Greenbriar Rehabilitation and Nursing Center since undergoing surgery at a Gainesville hospital a month ago.

Cornwell, a Bradenton native and 1954 graduate of Manatee High School, was a member of First Baptist Church in Palmetto. He was also a member of the Kiwanis Club, Salvation Army, YMCA and the Boys Club. He graduated with a history degree from the University of North Carolina and enjoyed fishing, gardening and eating dinner with friends.

He also was a member of the Florida Tax Collectors Association, and served as its president in 1985.

Shannon Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Funeral arrangements are expected to be announced Monday.

Copyright 1999 Bradenton Herald