Cornelia Otelia Gates Dobyns was born in Norfolk, Virginia on November 26, 1929 and died on October 20, 2016 at the age of 86 in Richmond, Virginia. She was married to James Robert (Bob) Dobyns for 60 years. Her parents were Willie Mae Preston Gates and Howard Preese Gates; her siblings were a brother, Thomas Jefferson (Jeff) Gates and two sisters Cordelia Gates Richard, and Wanda Lee Gates Schwarzmann. She and Bob had two daughters; Robyn Neil Dobyns and Rebecca Mae Dobyns.

Cornelia was born an identical twin to Cordelia and spent her formative years in Blacksburg, Va. She graduated from Blacksburg High School in 1947 and from VPI & SU with a Bachelor of Science Degree in 1951. She met her beloved Bob at Va. Tech and they married in 1951. Cornelia was devoted to family and enjoyed an active and full life and hobbies as a talented painter, water skier, ice skater, and snow skier and in the observance of beauty in life, especially in nature and the change of seasons. As well as being a wonderful and dedicated mother and wife, she entertained many with her abilities as a hostess and great cook. Cornelia had a special place in her heart for children, and earned a certificate to organize a kindergarten for preschoolers in Pulaski from 1961-1963. She loved flying, and earned her pilot's license to fly a single-engine plane in 1968. She was a member of the Virginia D.A.R. Chapter IV. Cornelia and Bob were youth leaders at the First Presbyterian Church of Pulaski and in 1976 traveled to Kananga, Zaire in Africa to spend two years in volunteer service to the Hospital and community. Cornelia and Bob lovingly started five scholarships at New River Community College and to date 154 students have benefited from these bequests. Cornelia and Bob traveled the world to see and appreciate the people and cultures but were always glad to return home to their roots beloved mountains of Southwestern Virginia. Her adventurous spirit, wry humor, and true grit will be lovingly remembered.