Corydon Somes

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.

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