Legacy of Good Mews founder 'will shine bright and continue on'

Jul. 17—MARIETTA — Gloria Skeen Cornell's legacy "will shine bright and continue on" through the Good Mews Animal Foundation she founded, the organization said in announcing her death.

Cornell, who died July 11, was 76.

In 1988, Cornell founded Good Mews, an organization that has placed more than 10,000 cats since the very first stray kitten Cornell brought into her home.

Good Mews Animal Foundation, a nonprofit organization that operates solely on grants and fundraising, is located on Robinson Road and has been open in that location since 2015. At any given time, there are up to 100 cats ready to be adopted, with a wing set aside specifically for fostering younger cats that holds about 40. They usually see an average of 450 cats adopted annually.

The mission set by Cornell once she took in the first cat hasn't wavered: help as many cats as possible. That mission has stayed the foundation of Good Mews throughout its different locations in Cobb County, and the organization's board of directors, staff and volunteers plan to maintain it in the future.

Described by Bri Payne, marketing director for Good Mews, as "a 4-foot, 8-inch force of nature packed with a passion for helping cats," Cornell worked as a flight attendant before devoting her life to rescuing animals. She set up her initial space on Sandtown Road in Marietta, then moved to the east Cobb area before finding the foundation's permanent home on Robinson Road.

"Gloria, we thank you for your vision and determination in the creation of this wonderful place..." reads part of the message posted to the Good Mews website. "The many thousands of cats we have been able to save are indebted to you and Good Mews is forever grateful for you."

Cornell's passion for animals has not only saved thousands of cats in Cobb County, but all across the state, with their relief efforts extending beyond fostering.

"We've grown to be a lot more than just adoptions," Payne said. "We have a social responsibility in the community and in the lower income areas to help promote animal welfare..."

Throughout the last few years, the Good Mews team has offered relief to those lower income areas whose shelters may have a surplus of homeless cats.

The Good Mews staff, along with some of their volunteers, travel to these areas, bringing the cats to the Robinson Road home base. They then treat them and assimilate them with the population after a brief quarantine.

Cornell also partnered with Best Friends Animal Society in its efforts to raise the save rate at animal shelters to a level that qualifies as no-kill. Best Friends Animal Society is a nonprofit organization founded in 1993 that does nationwide outreach to assist and educate areas in pet adoption, trap-neuter-spay services and no-kill animal rescue.

"With an organization like this, you have to have that community responsibility," Payne said. "That's where you're really going to make a difference in the world."

Payne said Cornell's vision led to Good Mews growing larger than anyone could've imagined.

"It definitely outgrew Gloria's wildest dreams. She was pretty proud of everything going on here," Payne said.

"Gloria's passion for finding good homes for good kitties remains a shared vision among the Board of Directors, staff, volunteers, and all involved with the organization," reads the end of the message posted to the Good Mews website.

"Though the organization's continued commitment, her legacy will shine bright and continue on."

For information on volunteering or donating, visit the Good Mews website at www.goodmews.org.

To plant a tree in memory of — legacy as a living tribute, please visit Tribute Store.