CORDES, WILLIAM P. (11 June 1929 - 5 April 1997) was a historic restorationist who helped oversee numerous local and national building restorations. Born in Brooklyn, NY, to William Cordes and Elena Casazza, who divorced two years later, Cordes was raised by his mother and her second husband, Herman Butze. He attended the New York School of Interior Design and served as master sergeant in the Army Reserves from 1952-1958. Cordes began his career with J. H. Thorp, then became a salesman for Scalamandre Inc. of Long Island, NY. He moved to CHAGRIN FALLS in 1970 and became national sales manager for Scalamandre in the late 1980s. As the company's specialist in historic wallpapers and upholstery, Cordes helped oversee restoration of the White House and the president's quarters, the Secretary of State's office and the Diplomatic Reception Rooms of the State Department, the Ford Theater, the Smithsonian Institution, the headquarters of the Daughters of the American Revolution in Williamsburg, VA, the governor's mansion in Frankfort, KY, and the Mormon Temple in Salt Lake City, UT. Locally, he was involved in the restoration of the WESTERN RESERVE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Stan Hywet Hall in Akron, and the Columbus Gallery of Fine Arts.
He was a member of PLYMOUTH CHURCH OF SHAKER HEIGHTS, the CHAGRIN VALLEY COUNTRY CLUB, and the Walkill Country Club of New Jersey. Professional memberships included the American Society of Interior Designers, and he was on the board of the interior design department of URSULINE COLLEGE. In 1959 Mr. Cordes married Loverne "Chris" Christian, and the couple had a son, Christian, and daughter, Carey.
S.S.H.