Submitted by: Dan Rich

Naomi Bernice Cordtz

May 15, 1920 - Dec. 13, 2008

South Bend Tribune 12/16/2008
SOUTH BEND - Naomi Bernice Cordtz, 88, of South Bend, died at 6:15 p.m. Saturday, December 13, 2008, in her residence following a lengthy illness. Mrs. Cordtz was born May 15, 1920, in South Bend, to the late Verner and Violet (Knabenshue) Mulhaupt, and was a lifetime area resident. On November 22, 1942, in South Bend, as Violet B. Mulhaupt, she married Raymond B. Cordtz, who preceded her in death on September 23, 2008. They shared almost 66 years of married life together. She was also preceded in death by a son, Michael R. Cordtz; two sisters, Genevieve Schultz and Marjorie Boone; a brother, Richard Mulhaupt, and another brother in infancy. She is survived by two daughters, Anne K. Harman of Olathe, KS, and Susan M. (Ronald) May of Bloomington, IN; four grandchildren, Michael Christopher Harman, Katherine Stephens, Jennifer May and Karen May; many great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandson; and one sister, Verna (William) McElheny of South Bend. Naomi worked at Bendix during World War II, first on the brake assembly line and later in an office. After her husband bought Wygant Floral Co., she worked there part-time until he retired. Most of Naomi's time was spent as a wife, homemaker and mother to her children. She spent many hours supporting her children's interests in music and 4-H. Naomi and her husband traveled extensively throughout the United States and the world, including New Zealand, Thailand, Japan, China, Canada and Singapore. She also loved to write letters and enjoyed writing to her many friends around the country. Naomi was a member of the North American Lily Society and the Ohio Lily Society, and was a devoted member of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church where she taught Sunday School and sang in the choir. She was also a charter member of the Normain Homemakers club.