Eulala "Lala" L Cordts

Born December 20, 1927 in Taylorville, she was the oldest of ten children to Raymond and Goldie (Durbin) Waterman. She married Roy George Cordts on November 24, 1949 in Peoria. He died May 25, 2005. She was also preceded in death by her parents; one daughter, Catherine Ann “Cathy” Cordts on April 17, 2009; one son-in-law, Ken Kirchoefer; and four brothers, Michael Waterman, Frank Waterman, Dale Waterman, and Richard Lee Waterman.

Surviving are two sons, Richard “Dick” (Sheryl) Cordts of Peoria and Roy George Cordts, II of Palawan, Philippines; two daughters, Eileen (Ron Walbert) Thomas of Peoria and Julie Kirchoefer of London, Kentucky; thirteen grandchildren; two brothers, John Waterman of Springfield and Victor (Paula) Waterman of Palmer; three sisters, Shirley Harris and Therese Hines, both of Springfield, Marge (Joe) Mirande of Bartonville; and two sister-in-laws, Carol Waterman of Taylorville and Dorothy Waterman of Nokomis.

A graduate of St. Francis School of Nursing in Peoria, Lala was a Registered Nurse at St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria from 1949 to 1973, last working in Labor and Delivery. She later was an Industrial Nurse at Caterpillar, Inc. for 16 years, retiring in 1989 from the Morton Plant.

She was a member of Saint Joseph Catholic Church in Pekin, and the Council of Catholic Women, Caring Presence Ministry, and served as a Eucharistic Minister. Lala’s faith was her foundation for everything she did. She also was a member of the Pekin Registered Nurse’s Club, Senior Saints of OSF, Caterpillar Woman’s Golf League, Parkview Ladies Golf League, and the Ladies of Columbus in Pekin.

Her funeral Mass will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday, December 14, 2016 at Saint Joseph Catholic Church in Pekin with Father Michael Andrejek as the celebrant and Monsignor Timothy Nolan as the homilist. Visitation will be from 10 to 10:45 a.m. Wednesday at the church. Burial will be at Saint Joseph Catholic Cemetery in Pekin.

Arrangements are by Preston-Hanley Funeral Homes & Crematory in Pekin.

Memorial contributions may be made to Saint Joseph Catholic Church, 303 South 7th Street, Pekin, IL 61554, to EWTN (Eternal Word Television Network), 5817 Old Leeds Road, Irondale, AL 35210, or to the Carol House of Hope in care of the Center for Prevention of Abuse, 720 Joan Court, Peoria, IL 61614.

To express condolences online, visit www.preston-hanley.com