Gordon William Cordes, 82

Gordon William Cordes, 82, long-time Sandpoint resident, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, July 24, 2007, in Sandpoint, Idaho.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 28, 2007, at Coffelt's Funeral Chapel, 109 N. Division Ave., in Sandpoint, Idaho.

Burial will be held at Pinecrest Memorial Park Cemetery.

Gordon was born on Jan. 21, 1925, in Seymour, Ind., to William H. and Lydia (Hohnstreiter) Cordes. In June 1940 his family moved to Idaho, purchasing a house in Sandpoint. Gordon completed his last three years of high school at Sandpoint, graduating in 1943. After two years of military service in the Army Air Corps he attended the University of Idaho, working for the U.S. Forest Service during the summers.

Gordon graduated from the university in 1952 and accepted a position in Washington, D.C., with the Department of Interior as a geographer. In 1954 he returned to Idaho to work for the U.S. Forest Service on the Bonners Ferry District.

On Jan. 26, 1957, he married Anne Louise Williams in Washington, D.C. Relatives and friends recently assembled on July 7, 2007, to help Gordon and Anne celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary.

Gordon and Anne set up housekeeping in Bonners Ferry, Idaho where Gordon continued to work for the local ranger district until being transferred in 1961 to the Kaniksu Forest Supervisor's Office in Sandpoint to the position of Reality Specialist. They moved to Sandpoint in 1962 with their two sons, Roger and Christopher.

Gordon retired from the Forest Service in 1980. He had commuted for the last six years of his career to the Coeur d'Alene office of the Idaho Panhandle National Forests, from which the Kaniksu, Coeur d'Alene and St. Joe National Forests have been administered since 1973.

Gordon enjoyed studying the German language at N.I.C. which enabled him to read German literature for the rest of his life. He also was a loyal volunteer at the Senior Thrift Store for over 15 years. Gordon was well known for his extensive collection of potato mashers, having appeared on a nation-wide television program that featured antique collectors. He also enjoyed helping with his 1943 high school class reunions and wrote an annual news letter to all his former classmates. Every year Gordon looked forward to decorating his house and yard for Christmas and Halloween.

Gordon was preceded in death by his parents, William H. and Lydia Cordes, and his younger brother, Sheldon C. Cordes.

He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Anne Cordes; son Roger (Angie) Cordes of Logandale, Nev.; son, Christopher (Jill) Cordes of Alpine, Calif.; granddaughters Amanda and Kristina Cordes of Logandale, Nev.; and his sister Arleen Ensign of Santa Barbara, Calif.

The family suggests that memorial donations in Gordon's honor may be made to the Bonner County Historical Society, 611 S. Ella, Sandpoint, Idaho 83864.

Family and friends are invited to sign Gordon's online guest book and view his obituary at www.coffeltfuneral.com.

Arrangements are entrusted to the care of Coffelt Funeral Service.