Clarisa Anne Cordre

Clarisa Anne Cordre passed away in her home on September 30th surrounded by loved ones. She was born into the Bridewell family on February 20, 1930 in McCall, Louisiana and later grew up in Donaldsonville, Louisiana. Clarisa attended Montreat College in North Carolina. She furthered her formal education at Louisiana College and New Orleans Seminary earning both a Bachelor of Science Degree in Home Economics along with a Master’s Degree in Religious Education, respectively. In the years that followed, Clarisa taught Home Economics in addition to working as a chemist at Columbia Southern while living in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Afterwards, she operated as the Elementary Director for the Louisiana Southern Baptist where she met her soon-to-be husband, Rufus Corneilius Cordre, in Houma, Louisiana. They married on August 22, 1959. As the wife of a supervisor for Texaco Pipe Line Company, Clarisa grew accustomed to moving. As a result she formed many friendships in Kilgore, Texas; New Iberia, Louisiana; Nevada, Missouri; Russell, Kansas; and her treasured Tyler, Texas.

Clarisa’s love for the outdoors, child evangelism, and teaching women God’s Word seemed to come to the forefront wherever she went. Her life verse was 2 Corinthians 5:21: “For He hath made Him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” It was her passion to share with others the very same joy which she found by placing her faith and trust in Christ. This pursuit was her heartfelt desire until she drew her last breath.

She is survived by her daughter, Susan Cordre of Dallas, Texas; a son, Neil Cordre, and his wife, Julia, of Great Bend, Kansas; two grandsons: Jeremy Cordre of Wichita, Kansas and Ryan Cordre of Great Bend, Kansas; brother, Major Joseph Bridewell, of Benbrook, Texas and, her beloved cat, Abigail Quincy Adams.

A Memorial service will be held at 11:00AM Monday at Grace Community Church, 3215 Old Jacksonville Hwy., Tyler, Texas.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to C E F of East Texas, Piney Woods Chapter in c/o Rebecca Sorge (Cordre Memorial), 200 N. Beckham #209, Tyler, Texas 75702.

Visitation will be 6-8pm Sunday at the funeral home.

Tyler Memorial Funeral Home, Tyler, Texas.