Irene R. Cordek

IRENE R. CORDEK (nee Velgot). WW II Veteran, Cadet Nurse Corps. Born Jan 30, 1923, South Fork, PA Died September 19, 2016. Beloved wife of the late Louis Cordek; dear mother of Louise Cox (Norman, deceased) Joan Weiler (Kurt, deceased) Monica Jaskulski (Robert) Michael Cordek (Lora Hlabse) and Philip; cherished grandmother of Elan, Curtis, Jonathan, Allison, Katherine, Philip, Andrew, Jennifer, Edward, Norman, Gail, Cindy 6 great grandchildren, Iris, Laurel, Hyacinth, Dario, Elena, Piera 3 great-great grandchildren, Malachi, Miranda, Matthias. As a child Irene played stick ball in New York City play lots. As an adult she enjoyed playing tennis, table tennis, badminton, and could also throw a mean horseshoe. Being from PA she always loved her mountains and missed them after her move to Cleveland. She also missed the bustle of New York City where she worked at Nedick’s on 34th Street before her nurse’s training began. Irene earned her R.N. at the Kings County Hospital School of Nursing in Brooklyn, NY, then served as a member of the US Army Cadet Nurse Corps during WW II. Moving to Cleveland Ohio after the war, she worked at MacDonald House, Mt. Sinai, Marymount, Brentwood, and Bedford Hospitals. As head nurse in Marymount’s Labor and Delivery unit, she developed the first Prenatal Classes and Family Centered care to promote maternal health and child welfare. She participated in the Harvard University Nurses’ Study for 30 years. Retiring at the age of 71, Irene spent her time caring for her husband of 56 years, Lou until his death in 2001. She enjoyed gardening, tatting, embroidering, crocheting, gourmet cooking and traveling. Her favorite trips were to Hawaii, San Francisco, Disney land and Disneyworld, but most of all she relished the time spent with her grandchildren and great grandchildren regaling them with stories of adventure and challenge during the Great Depression. Her wartime nursing stories inspired us. She truly left her mark on us all. Visitation with friends and family, 11 AM, October 1, at Church of the Resurrection, 32001 Cannon Rd. Solon, OH followed by Memorial Mass at 12 noon. Family suggests contributions to Hospice of the Western Reserve.