Obituary of Cordes Chambers Jr., 90

Cordes William Chambers, Jr., 90, of Clarence, died peacefully in his sleep on Tuesday, August 30, 2016. Born on August 5, 1926, in Clarence, he was the son of the late Cordes W. Chambers, Sr. and Mary Planko Chambers. On July 6, 1948, in Hagerstown, Maryland, he was united into marriage to the former Marion Bosak, who passed away on June 28, 2011.

“Cordy”, as to what everyone called him, served in the United States Navy during World War II from 1944 – 1946. He took basic training at Bainbridge, Maryland. After training, he volunteered for combat. He went overseas on the troop ship, the USS Merak and served in Oran, Gibraltar and trained for the Invasion of Southern France in Ajaccio Corsica.

On August 15, 1944, he participated in the Invasion of Southern France, coming ashore on an LST with the 4th wave of troops at St. Maxime. Afterwards, he went to Palermo Sicily, where he performed guard duty at the port and docks. He returned to the New York harbor on a destroyer. One of his last duties in the Navy was to serve on the USS Shelter, a minesweeper, when it went to Lake Charles, LA to be decommissioned.

Cordy retired from the former JH France Refractories on February 28, 1989 with 42 years of service. He started as a laborer and rose through the ranks of Foreman, General Superintendent, and was the Plant Manager at the time of his retirement.

Cordy was of the Catholic faith and was a member of the Queen of Archangel Roman Catholic Parish Church in Clarence. His God-Father at baptism was Rev. Father Palfy, who was the pastor of the church at that time and his God-Mother was Mary Rogus. He served as an usher for many years at the church.

Cordy was a member of the American Legion, Cartwright/Martin, Post 813, in Clarence, where on his 90th birthday, he was presented a certificate of 71 years of continuous membership. He was the only person to have reached that plateau since the post being charted in 1946. In his younger years, following his discharge from the Navy, he was Sergeant at Arms at the Post and was a member of the Honor Guard. He was also a member of the Loyal Order of Moose, 1565, of Clarence, where he was given a lifetime members status, the Snow Shoe Volunteer Fire Company and the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 5644 in Snow Shoe.

Cordy was a member of several camping clubs. He and Marion spent many years camping at the Grange Fair in Centre Hall. He was an ardent fisherman and hunter. For many years he loved to fish the Alvin R. Bush Dam, North of Renovo. For over 20 years, he was “the guide” at Camp Rockspar, on Penrose Road, which was owned by JH France Refractories. In 1969, Cordy was awarded the Triple Trophy Award by the Pennsylvania Game Commission, for taking a buck, bear, and turkey during the 1968 hunting season.

In the latter 1940’s and 1950’s, he was the first of the “Chambers Brothers” who played baseball for the Clarence Baseball Team, which won several league championships. He also was the manager of the team for several years. While playing for Clarence, in the Black Diamond League in 1949 and playing against Grassflat, he was given a baseball that he hit for a home run by the manager of the Grassflat Team. On the baseball, it was inscribed, “The longest ball ever hit at the Grassflat Field, estimated at 450 feet”.

He was a lifelong Republican.

Cordy is survived by one daughter, Irene Seprish and her husband, William, Jr. of Snow Shoe, two sons; Cordes Chambers, III and his wife, Debra, of Clarence and Ronald Chambers and his wife, Brenda, of Snow Shoe, four grandchildren; Tammy Green of Washington, DC, Roxann Seprish of Fairmont, WV, Crista Spratt and Corie VonGunden both of Bellefonte.

Also surviving are five great grandchildren; Sarah Green of Washington, DC, Olivia Spratt, Alison Spratt, William Spratt, and Leah VonGunden, all of Bellefonte, and two brothers; David Chambers of Snow Shoe, and Philip Chambers of Clarence.

In addition to his parents and wife, Cordy was preceded in death by three brothers; David, who died as an infant, Roy who passed away in 2002 and Howard who passed away in 2009.

Visitation will be on Thursday, September 1, 2016 from 2-4 & 6-8pm with a rosary service at 7:45pm at the Daughenbaugh Funeral Home in Snow Shoe. Funeral Mass will be on Friday, September 2, 2016 at 11am at the Queen of Archangel Roman Catholic Parish Church in Clarence with Father Michael Wolfe officiating and Father Mark Reid co-officiating. Burial will follow at Askey Cemetery with full military honors accorded by the joint effort of the VFW, Post 5644 Snow Shoe and the American Legion, Post 813 Clarence Honor Guard and Firing Squad.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Askey Cemetery Association, PO Box 38, Snow Shoe, PA 16874 or to the Queen of Archangel Roman Catholic Parish Church, 102 Church Rd, Clarence, PA 16823.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Daughenbaugh Funeral Home, 106 W. Sycamore St. Snow Shoe. An online guest book can be signed or condolences to the family available at www.daughenbaughfuneralhome.com.