Dennis Cordell

Chronicle Staff

Published: Wednesday, November 19th, 2008

  Dennis Francis Cordell was born  Oct. 13, 1930, on the family farm north of Watertown, S.D., to Peter J. and Katherine (Jellesma) Cordell. He attended school in Watertown and helped his parents on the farm. On Oct. 13, 1954, Dennis married Edna Byer at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Florence, S.D. Besides farming, Dennis was a brakeman for C & NW Railroad, operated Cordell Trucking and he graded gravel township roads. He was very passionate about farming and considered it his therapy. He was a lifetime member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, where he was very active and also sang in the St. Francis Choir. One example of his active involvement was that he ensured that the original rose window (with outside lighting) was placed in the new sanctuary when Immaculate Conception Church was rebuilt in the 1990s.  Dennis and Edna shared travels to Rome in 1975, to the Holy Land and to Guadalupe, Mexico.  He enjoyed telling stories and always started them with, “Say…I got a true story to tell ya.”  Dennis died Sunday, Nov. 9, 2008, at a care center in Watertown, S.D. He was 78.   He was preceded in death by one granddaughter, Ashley; his parents; and one brother, James. Dennis is survived by his wife, Edna, of Watertown; two sons, Linus (Mary) Cordell of Watertown, and Leon (SaDonna) Cordell of Custer, S.D.; one daughter, Corrine (John) Hamre of Wichita Falls, Texas; two brothers, Lavern (Shirley) Cordell and Venard (Mena) Cordell, all of Watertown; three sisters, Lorraine DeVille of Sioux Falls, S.D., JoAnn (Wendell) Gnat of Huron, S.D., and Karen (Bob) Goodell of Omaha, Neb.; and five grandchildren. A funeral mass was held Nov. 13 in the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Watertown, with  Father Joseph Forcelle officiating.  Music was provided by the St. Francis Choir and Bernadette and Gabe Gutierrez. Burial followed at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Watertown.  Honorary pallbearers were members of the St. Francis Choir. Active pallbearers were Dennis’ grandchildren, Bernadette Gutierrez, Gabe Gutierrez, Francis Hamre, Joe Cordell, Quentin Cordell and Catlyn Cordell. The Honor Guard was provided by the 4th Degree of the Knights of Columbus. Memorials may be directed to Prairie Lakes Hospice.