George W. Cornell; Dean of U.S. Religion Writers

George W. Cornell, 74, considered the dean of American religion writers for four decades. Cornell was credited for establishing religion as a beat or subject to cover when he was a young reporter for the Associated Press. Born in Weatherford, Okla., Cornell was educated at the University of Oklahoma. He joined the wire service in 1947 as a general assignment reporter and four years later narrowed his concentration to covering religion. He wrote regular columns and Easter and Christmas series printed by newspapers across the country, and traveled around the world covering papal visits and meetings of the World Council of Churches. On Wednesday in New York of apparent heart failure.