Corydon Somes
June 13, 1945 - March 21, 2022
Obituary
CELEBRATION, Fla. / CROSS PLAINS, Wis. - Corydon Lynn Somes died at home in Cross Plains, Wis., on Monday, March 21, 2022. He was 76 years old.
Cory was born on June 13, 1945, to David and Shirley (Benedick) Somes in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. He loved growing up in the Soo where he met many of his lifelong good friends and his beloved wife, Nancy Rae (Kellan) Somes. He graduated from Soo High in 1963 and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in 1967 from Lake Superior State College (now University). He later went back to school and earned his Master of Science in Administration from Central Michigan University in 1977.
Cory and Nancy were married on Sept. 17, 1966, and he is survived by her and their three children, Lisa (Tim) Huschke of Traverse City, Mich., Michelle (Doug) Somes-Booher of Middleton, Wis., and William (Michelle) Somes of Franklin, Tenn. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Julia Huschke (Ana Belzunce), Charlie Booher, Henry Huschke and Mia Somes and his special rescue pup, Molly.
Although he left the Soo many years ago, Cory remained a proud yooper throughout his life. After his marriage and his family, his most satisfying accomplishment was serving on the Board of Control of Lake Superior State College from 1970 until 1985. He was chairman of the board for two years. He was also honored to be named the 1987 Outstanding Alumni of the College, speaking at the spring commencement that year and was later named a Golden Grad of the College at a ceremony in 2018.
For the bulk of his career, Cory worked in the electrical utility distribution industry, first for Champion, Inc. in Mount Pleasant, Mich., and later for himself with the C.L. Somes Company in Mount Pleasant and then Lansing, Mich. While an outstanding member of his professional community, he also pursued his creative side partnering with an instructional video production company and by filing nine patents for various inventions. As a young man, he held a diving and a pilot's license. And, in 1968, he was on the inaugural planning board for the Soo I-500 snowmobile race still held annually in his hometown.
In addition to his immediate family, Cory is survived by his Aunt June Diehl of Flint, Mich., his Aunt Margie Somes of Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., his Aunt Noreen Somes of Lenoir, N.C., Aunt Millie Radley of Longmont, Colo.; and his sister, Carol (Robert) VanKirk of Hendersonville, Tenn.; along with his many other aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, Cory’s family would appreciate contributions to Lake Superior State University in his memory (foundation.lssu.edu) and Agrace HospiceCare of Madison, Wis., whose tireless workers are much appreciated for the care they provided during the last months of his life (agrace.org/donate/donate-today).
A gathering to honor and celebrate Cory’s life will be held from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Walker Cisler Center on the LAKE SUPERIOR STATE UNIVERSITY campus, 650 W. Easterday Ave., Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., on Saturday, May 21, 2022. Light refreshments will be served. Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.
Gunderson Cross Plains
Funeral & Cremation Care
2421 Church St.
(608) 798-3141
Cory was born on June 13, 1945, to David and Shirley (Benedick) Somes in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. He loved growing up in the Soo where he met many of his lifelong good friends and his beloved wife, Nancy Rae (Kellan) Somes. He graduated from Soo High in 1963 and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in 1967 from Lake Superior State College (now University). He later went back to school and earned his Master of Science in Administration from Central Michigan University in 1977.
Cory and Nancy were married on Sept. 17, 1966, and he is survived by her and their three children, Lisa (Tim) Huschke of Traverse City, Mich., Michelle (Doug) Somes-Booher of Middleton, Wis., and William (Michelle) Somes of Franklin, Tenn. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Julia Huschke (Ana Belzunce), Charlie Booher, Henry Huschke and Mia Somes and his special rescue pup, Molly.
Although he left the Soo many years ago, Cory remained a proud yooper throughout his life. After his marriage and his family, his most satisfying accomplishment was serving on the Board of Control of Lake Superior State College from 1970 until 1985. He was chairman of the board for two years. He was also honored to be named the 1987 Outstanding Alumni of the College, speaking at the spring commencement that year and was later named a Golden Grad of the College at a ceremony in 2018.
For the bulk of his career, Cory worked in the electrical utility distribution industry, first for Champion, Inc. in Mount Pleasant, Mich., and later for himself with the C.L. Somes Company in Mount Pleasant and then Lansing, Mich. While an outstanding member of his professional community, he also pursued his creative side partnering with an instructional video production company and by filing nine patents for various inventions. As a young man, he held a diving and a pilot's license. And, in 1968, he was on the inaugural planning board for the Soo I-500 snowmobile race still held annually in his hometown.
In addition to his immediate family, Cory is survived by his Aunt June Diehl of Flint, Mich., his Aunt Margie Somes of Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., his Aunt Noreen Somes of Lenoir, N.C., Aunt Millie Radley of Longmont, Colo.; and his sister, Carol (Robert) VanKirk of Hendersonville, Tenn.; along with his many other aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, Cory’s family would appreciate contributions to Lake Superior State University in his memory (foundation.lssu.edu) and Agrace HospiceCare of Madison, Wis., whose tireless workers are much appreciated for the care they provided during the last months of his life (agrace.org/donate/donate-today).
A gathering to honor and celebrate Cory’s life will be held from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Walker Cisler Center on the LAKE SUPERIOR STATE UNIVERSITY campus, 650 W. Easterday Ave., Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., on Saturday, May 21, 2022. Light refreshments will be served. Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.
Gunderson Cross Plains
Funeral & Cremation Care
2421 Church St.
(608) 798-3141
Events
Gathering
Sat May 21, 2022 @ 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM CDT
Lake Superior State University • 650 W. Easterday Ave., Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783
Photos
No photos of Corydon have been shared yet.
Memories
TY
Thomas York
Other •
Dear Somes family. I know that this is a pretty random post since I really do not know any of you, but I wanted to send my condolences to your family. My name is Tom York, and in 1982, I was a Senior at Central Michigan University on my way to finishing up a BS degree in Business Administration. It was the fall semester of 82 and I actually only needed to complete 2 more classes in order to graduate that December. One of the classes that still remained was a 500 level Business Management Class. I signed up to take that class as a night class on campus in Mt. Pleasant...3 hour night class once a week. That class was taught by Cory Somes. It's now 40 years later. I am 61 and am nearing the end of my work career in business management in the software industry. Time sure does fly. But, in the fall of 82, I was 21 years old, still a college kid who had not yet started my working career, and I was full of anticipation about what it was going to be like to actually get out of school and start a "real job". I just wanted to say that Mr. Somes and his class left a lasting impression on me. I thought I was going to dread having a 3 hour night class. I ended up looking forward to that class every week. I never missed it. I think it was because Mr. Somes was not my typical "professor". He was a business man. A guy that was running a real company, managing real business problems, managing real people, servicing real customers, concerned about a real income statement and a real bottom line. It was just the exposure that I needed to that "real world" that I was about to enter. His insights were all interesting. His examples didn't come out of a management textbook, they were all real world. He would say things like "So...this happened this week...how would you guys have handled it?" Do you know how valuable those kinds of lessons were for a 21 year old business student when they were coming from a respected and successful businessman? I can tell you...extremely valuable. I am forever thankful that, through the luck of the draw when it came time for me to register for classes that fall, that I ended up in his class. I have the utmost respect and admiration for Mr. Somes. His willingness, as a working business manager, to take precious time out of his evenings every week to go to CMU and teach a class to up and coming business students was generous. His real-word experiences made that class the best class I ever took in 4.5 years at Central Michigan. Plus...he was a great guy. Super smart...funny...really engaging...a great story teller and he knew how to make the real-world stories relevant to the curriculum that he wanted us to learn. I regret that I never told him all of this in person. I was thinking about my days at CMU a couple days ago and his name just randomly came into my head and I said "Gee, I wonder what ever happened to that guy...he was awesome". So, with the internet, I found him...and then, sadly, found this page. What a weird coincidence to see that on the day that I decided to look him up, I found that he had left us less than 3 weeks earlier. Anyway, I know that you are all hurting for the loss of a husband, a Dad, a nephew, a treasured part of your family. I am so very sorry for your loss. But I at least wanted you to know that he made a lasting impression on this CMU student and I'm sure the others as well who have the good fortune to meet him and learn from him. May he rest in peace. Thanks for listening.
AH
Amy Houcine
Other •
I have so many memories of your smiling happy 😄. I will miss you and your laughter and kindness. I'm sorry for your family. You were such a light in the 🌎. I enjoyed your company. Your wonderful wife and kids will miss you so much. As will I remember you. Amy Houcine