Donald Paul Cordes

Donald Paul Cordes, 79, of Prosser, Nebraska died Saturday, December 10, 2022, peacefully at home. Visitation will be from 5:00-7:00 pm on Friday, December 16 at Apfel Funeral Home in Grand Island, NE. Funeral services will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church in Wolbach, NE on Saturday, December 17 at 11:00 am with Pastor Glenda Pearson officiating. Interment will be at the Wolbach Cemetery after the service.

Don was born on September 4, 1943 in Leo Valley en route to Spalding, Ne to George H. and Minnie L. (Rother) Cordes. He grew up on the family farm northeast of Wolbach and received his education at Star School and Wolbach High School, graduating with the class of 1961. He entered the US Air Force in 1962 and spent majority of his service time stationed overseas in Trier, Germany. He was honorably discharged in 1966. After his military service, he was employed at the Cornhusker Army Ammunition Plant near Grand Island. After the closure of the plant, he was employed by Don Winfrey with Winfrey Electric. He spent 31 years employed by the Grand Island Public schools as an electrician, retiring in 2018.

He was an avid gardener and fixer of things. He enjoyed woodworking, learning, and helping friends, family, and neighbors. He grew more vegetables than any one family could eat and was very proud to be able to share a tomato with anyone who might want one (or not). He would always say he never grew anything; he just put it in the ground and let God do the rest. Don lived and led his family by example. He was an extremely hard worker and took pride in doing things the right way. The people he loved he loved dearly and there weren’t too many people he didn’t love. He especially loved to spend time with his 10 grandchildren and his French Bulldog, Stevie Nicks. His family will remember him for his great heart, love, and infectious laugh.

He was united in marriage to Jodene M. Peterson on March 5, 1977 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Wolbach, NE. Don and Jody lived in Wolbach, Wood River, and have lived in Prosser, NE for the past 25 years, making countless friends along the way.

Don was deeply loved by his wife, Jody, and his three children and their families: Michael and Hollie (Hansen) Cordes of Kenesaw, NE; Crystal Krause of Omaha, NE; Matthew and Jennifer (Sullivan) Cordes of Kearney, NE; grandchildren, Alexis Fulton, Micha, Hailey, Riley, and Brian Cordes, Eliot and Holden Krause, and Audra, Sawyer, and Walker Cordes.

He is also survived by his brother, Richard Cordes of Hooper NE; his sister JoAnn Abboud of Naples, FL; his brother-in-law, Michael (Meredith) Peterson of Santa Fe, NM; and 9 nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Ronald Cordes; his in-laws Vaughn Peterson, Ella (Glines) Peterson Luft, and Robert Luft; and his nephew Sloane Peterson.