Harry B. Cordes

Harry B. Cordes passed away on March 19, 2009 after a brief battle with leukemia. He was born on February 9, 1929 in Great Bend, Kansas where his parents emigrated from Germany in 1928. Harry became the first member of his family to attain a college degree, graduating from Kansas State University in 1951 with a Bachelor of Science degree. Although his degree was in physics, Harry always had a penchant for electrical engineering and had an immediate opportunity to satisfy his interest by landing a position upon graduation as an electronic scientist with the U.S. Navy Underwater Sound lab in New England, Connecticut where he worked on developing underwater detection devices. After a stint with the Electric Boat Company devising steering systems for one of the first atomic submarines, Harry joined the Boeing Company in 1954, where he developed the first flight simulator for the Air Force. After he left Boeing in 1961 he had a series of executive engineering positions with other companies which ultimately landed him in York, Pennsylvania as a Vice President for Fincor and, later, for Wright Hoist and Crane Company. In 1972 he decided to go out on his own and founded Red Lion Controls which became, and still is, a leading manufacturer of electronic controls for original equipment manufacturers. After selling the company to a British firm in the late 1980’s, he retired and he and his wife moved to Kent County, MD. They built a home on Churn Creek prior to moving to Chestertown in 2005. Harry is survived by his wife, Carol; two sons, Fred Cordes and his wife Karen of Houston, TX and Michael Cordes and his wife Jennifer of Baltimore, MD; four grandchildren, Alexandra, Caitlin, Christopher and Nicholas Cordes; five stepchildren, Jeffrey Mummert, Shellie Mummert Day, William Crowley, Susan Crowley and Judith Crowley Spaulding; 8 step grandchildren. Also surviving is his brother, Donald Cordes and his wife Bettie of Wichita, Kansas; nephew Kenneth Cordes; niece, Kathryn Pelz and her 3 children, Johnathan, Michael and Kristen. A private memorial service will be held by the family. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be sent to The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Donor Services P.O. Box 4072 Pittsfield, MA 01202 or online at www.leukemia-lymphoma.org; The Salvation Army Southern Territory Headquarters 1424 Northeast Expressway Atlanta, GA 30329 or online at www.uss.salvationarmy.org; The Garden of The Presbyterian Church of Chestertown 905 Gateway Dr. Chestertown, MD 21620.

Harry B. Cordes

February 9, 1929 - March 19, 2009