John F. Cordes

John F. Cordes (Jack), 86, died on January 15, 2015 after a short illness, surrounded by his family. He had lived for the past few years at his daughter's house in Avon. Previously he had lived with his beloved late wife Agnes for more than sixty years at their home in Wall Township. Jack was born and raised in Irvington, and attended Irvington High School. His parents, Frederick and Marie Cordes, maintained homes in Irvington and Belmar, where Jack spent many happy summers. Jack had an older brother, William H. Cordes, who died in 2011. Just after World War II, Jack served two years in the United States Marine Corps, leaving the Marines as a corporal. In the late 1940s, he attended Lycoming and Upsala Colleges, where he played football. He married his wife Agnes in 1948. They soon moved to the Jersey Shore and bought a home in Wall in 1950, where he and Agnes raised four children. Jack worked for more than thirty years as a civilian employee of the Provost Marshal's office at Fort Monmouth, where he rose to the rank of Chief of the Security Police and Chief of the Physical Security Branch. He retired from Fort Monmouth in the mid-1980s, but he continued to work for many years after that for a bank and for other businesses. He also was a member the American Legion (Spring Lake Post #0432) and participated in Legion events. Jack was very active in community service and in youth sports. For many years he was a member of the Wall Township Recreation Commission, where for a time he served as Chairman. He helped establish new parks and start new programs in the growing community. He was one of the founders of the South Wall Little League and he coached and umpired in that league for many years. He also helped establish the Manasquan-Brielle and Wall Township Pop Warner football teams. He served as head coach of the Wall team for several years. And for decades he worked with teenage boys while coaching the St. Denis (Manasquan) CYO basketball team. Jack was predeceased by his loving wife of 65 years, Agnes, who died in 2014. He is survived by his children John, Jr. (Rick) (Rosemarie), Francine Reynolds (Eugene), Blane (Joan), and Robert (Maria Leo). Jack had nine grandchildren whom he doted on and whose lives he followed closely: Michaila Lee, Eugene, Patrick, and John Reynolds, Tracy Francescone, Patricia McClain, James Cordes, Courtney Liska, and Blane Cordes, Jr. In recent years, he also was able to enjoy five great-grandchildren: Mei Lian Lee, Nina Francescone, Eugene Reynolds III, Kate McClain, and Jack Liska.Jack was an active parishioner at St. Denis Catholic Church in Manasquan for many years. Three of his children attended St. Denis School. On Saturday, 9:30 AM, January 24th. a Funeral Mass will be offered at St. Denis Church. Following the Mass, Jack's children will host a luncheon to celebrate his life. The luncheon will be at the Mill Restaurant, 101 Old Mill Rd. (Ocean Rd.), Spring Lake Heights, NJ 07762. All who knew Jack are welcome. The family suggests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made in Jack's name to the A-T Ease Foundation, Inc., 217 Thompson St., Suite 404, New York, NY 10012,or to another worthy charity.