Richard Alfred Coderre, age 97, passed away in the comfort of his home on Monday morning, February 6, 2023 in Cary, North Carolina after a brief period of declining health. Born on November 20, 1925 in Chicago, Illinois; he was the son of the late Alymer Coderre and Adele Pallissard Coderre.
After the age of 6 he grew up on his family’s farm outside of the small town of Saint Anne, Illinois. At Saint Anne high school he was a scholar and an athlete, winning a scholarship to the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. His studies in Chemical Engineering there were interrupted by service in the United States Army in the European Theatre of World War II where he rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant.
Returning to Illinois at the conclusion of the War he completed his degree in Chemical Engineering with highest honors and went on to complete a PhD in chemistry at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
After completing his education he began a career in the plastics and petrochemicals industry working in new product and business development. He worked for a number of companies in the East, Midwest and Texas, ending his career at the Merichem Company in Houston.
In 1954 he met the love of his life and future wife Julia Viedt of Maplewood, New Jersey. They were married in June of 1955. Together they had three children: Harold, Barbara and Nancy.
After retiring in 1991 Richard and his wife and daughter Nancy enjoyed extensive travel in North America and Europe until Julia’s death in 2002. Afterward, he lived in Cary with his daughter Nancy and continued traveling, including trips to South Africa and the far east. To his last day he sought out new knowledge and new experiences with curiosity and joy.
Richard is survived by his son: Harold Thomas Coderre and wife Carol Ann Coderre, of Tucson, Arizona; daughter: Nancy Adele Coderre, of Cary; and other extended family and friends, including 5 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his two sisters: Juliette Watson of San Luis Obispo, California and Margaret Pratt of San Diego, California and by his wife, daughter Barbara and daughter-in-law Linda Coreys Coderre.
A Memorial Gathering will be held at the Coderre Home in Cary on Saturday, February 11, 2023 from 2:00 to 4:00 PM
In lieu of flowers, contributions in memory of Richard may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital either online at https://www.stjude.org/donate/ or by mail to 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN
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