Millsboro’s Richard Cordrey honored
Longtime Sussex County legislator and Millsboro farmer Richard Cordrey passed recently at the age of 88.
Cordrey, a Democrat born and raised in Millsboro, was elected to the House of Representatives in 1970. After one term, he moved on to a Senate seat, where he served from 1972-96. During that time, he served as Senate majority leader for two years and later president pro tempore for almost 20 years – the longest-serving pro tem in Delaware and one of the longest in the nation.
After retiring from the Senate in 1996, Cordrey was eventually tapped by Gov. Ruth Ann Minner to serve as her secretary of finance for four years. He was named chairman of the Diamond State Port Corporation's board of directors in 2006.
In recognition and memory of Cordrey’s service, Gov. John Carney ordered state buildings and facilities Aug. 23 to fly the state flag at half-staff until sunset Aug. 27.
“He was the ultimate southern Delaware gentleman who was well liked and respected by Delawareans across our state. He brought a certain grace to his work as a leader in the state Senate and as finance secretary for Gov. Minner. His influence on Delaware’s economy – especially his efforts on financial stability – will have a lasting impact on our state,” Carney wrote in a statement. “Sen. Cordrey also used his experience as a Sussex County farmer to support Delaware agriculture and to bring a conservative approach to fiscal matters. The State of Delaware is in a stronger place because of his service. Sen. Cordrey will be sorely missed.”
Sen. Chris Coons also shared his condolences.
“I got to know Rich and Mary Jane early in my public service career. I respected his work ethic, his dedication to Delaware, and his decades of service to Millsboro and our state. His outstanding service is still felt to this day, and I, along with Delawareans across the state, will miss his impact. Annie and I send our deepest condolences to his surviving sons, Rick and Steve, and to all his grandchildren and great-grandchildren,” Coons said in a statement.
A 2012 General Assembly bill noted Cordrey often worked with Republicans for the best of the state.
In the early 1980s, the bill states, Cordrey worked closely with Republican Gov. Pete du Pont “to bring about enactment of the state’s Financial Center Development Act, which made Delaware a national banking center and brought thousands of high-quality jobs to the state.” His mentor was Republican U.S. Sen. John Williams, who retired from Congress the same month Cordrey began as state senator, the bill states.
“Sen. Cordrey, a lifelong Democrat, and Sen. Williams, a lifelong Republican, put aside party differences in the interests of the state they both loved so well,” according to the bill that officially named the Department of Agriculture building in Dover after Richard S. Cordrey.
Later that year, a Millsboro garden was dedicated to the Millsboro-area grain and poultry farmer, who owned and operated RSC Farms for more than 50 years.
Gracing the eastern entrance of Millsboro on Route 24, the garden is located in the median as the road splits, near the Cupola Bridge.
See an obituary at capegazette.com/article/richard-s-cordrey-longtime-legislator-farmer/244895.
