Richard Franklin Cordell

CORDELL, Richard Franklin '''Dick''?-Of Flushing, MI, age 95, died Monday, January 28, 2013 at Park Plaza Senior Living Community, Orange, California. Memorial services will be held 10:00 AM Saturday, April 20, 2013 at First Presbyterian Church, 746 S. Saginaw St, Flint, MI. Dr. John Musgrave will officiate. Burial of the cremated remains will occur later that day at 3:00 PM at Ottawa Hills Memorial Park in Toledo, Ohio.In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Cynthia Diane Cordell Memorial Scholarship at Central Michigan University for educating teachers (address Memorial Gifts, Dept. 77025, Central Michigan University, PO Box 77000, Detroit, MI 48277-0025) , or the Flint Rotary Charitable Foundation (address 2481 Delwood Dr., Clio, MI 48420).Dick was born in Toledo, Ohio on September 30, 1917, the son of Lawrence and Naomi (Helms) Cordell. He married Ruth Olds on September 7, 1946 in Toledo, Ohio. Dick received his Bachelor'?s Degree from Toledo University. He pursued a sales management career with IBM and Simplex Time Recorder Company for 35 years. Dick was an active member of First Presbyterian Church in Flint, singing in the adult choir, participating on many committees and volunteering for other duties. Always committed to his community, his second career was devoted to the Rotary Club of Flint, where he was past president, district governor, and served as club secretary /treasurer for 29 years. He was the recipient of the Paul Harris Fellow award and additional distinguished service awards. He was also past president of the YMCA in Flint, past board member of the YMCA in Toledo, a member of the Shrine Club and their brass bands in both cities, a member of the Scottish Rite in Toledo, and past president of The National Exchange Club in Toledo. He was active in the Flint Institute of Music and the Flint Institute of Arts. Dick represented Flint on trips to its sister city of Togliatti, Russia. He enjoyed golf outings as member of the Flushing Valley Golf Club.Dick had a passion for music, especially singing or playing his trombone. He loved the Big Band songs and led his own dance band in his earlier years. He was an avid traveler, taking many trips around the US, Canada, and Europe with his wife, Ruth. A WWII veteran, Dick flew 62 combat bombing missions over Europe piloting a B-26 Marauder, including 2 missions on D-Day. He received numerous citations including the Distinguished Flying Cross and Purple Heart. After the war, he continued in the Air Force Reserves until 1977 and retired with the rank of Lt Colonel.He lived in Michigan until September 2010 when he relocated to Southern California to be close to his family. Dick is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Richard D. and Anita Cordell of Yorba Linda, CA, and two grandchildren, Chelsea and Caitlin. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Ruth, and his daughter Cynthia Diane Cordell.