Remembering Dr. Robert Cody

MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR DR. ROBERT CODY

From the Wharton Journal: "A memorial service for Dr. Robert O. Cody will be held on Saturday, December 8, at 2:00 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church, 1602 John Knox, Wharton , Texas. Reverend Debbie Cenko will preside over the service, and all who knew and loved Dr. Cody are invited to attend. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to The Nehemiah Center, www.nehemiahcenter.org , or other educational institution." Bob Cody was my brother-in-law. He is greatly missed. This is his obituary, as published in the Houston Chronicle last week: "OBITUARY Dr. Robert Oswald Cody Dr. Robert Oswald Cody was born in Biloxi, Mississippi on April 18, 1928 and died November 27, 2012 in Sugarland, Texas. He was 84 years old. He was the son of Benjamin Virgil Cody and Ruth Evangeline Oswald Cody. He is survived by his wife, Thelma Sue Roberts Cody, one son Benjamin Virgil Cody III; one sister, Mary Ruth Cody McMorris; one niece, Margaret Elaine McMorris Spitzenberger; two nephews, David Charles McMorris; Joseph Robert McMorris; and three great nephews and one great niece; also, nephew Dennis Hartman Cody, son of brother Joseph Hartman Cody (deceased). Graveside services will be held at Forest Park Lawndale, Houston, Texas, conducted by Reverend Doctor Bill Heston. On a later date, a memorial service will be held in Wharton, Texas at the First Presbyterian Church, conducted by Reverend Debbie Cenko. Dr. Cody graduated from Stephen F. Austin High School in Houston, Texas. He received the Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees from North Texas State University in Denton, Texas. He did a year of graduate study at the University of California at Berkeley, and a year of graduate study at Stanford University, Palo Alto, California. He received his Doctor of Philosophy degree in Educational Administration from East Texas State University (now Texas A & M Commerce). Dr. Cody taught in the public schools of Taft, Texas; Daly City, California; Trinity Valley Community College (formerly Henderson County Junior College ), Athens, Texas; and Wharton County Junior College, Wharton, Texas. In both of these college positions he was the Chairman of the Fine Arts Division and the Head of the Music Department. He taught at St. Mary’s School, Nada Texas, and Bay Ridge Christian College, Kendleton, Texas, where he was Director of Music. He played the organ and piano for the First Presbyterian Church, Wharton, Texas, where he was a member for many years. He served as president of the Wharton Rotary Club and president of the Wharton Community Concert Association. He was a member of many professional organizations. He played the piano, organ, and many of the band instruments, sang, and conducted. He taught band, choir, piano, guitar, and voice to countless numbers of music students. He had compositions and articles in print. Many of his compositions were performed throughout the United States. Prior to leaving Wharton County Junior College in 1975, Dr. Cody and his wife started teaching music privately in the home, selling music and instruments to students occasionally. After leaving the college, he expanded the business to its full capacity. He named the business Cody Music in 1985. During his lifetime he influenced many students, some of whom went on to professional careers. In this and other ways, his influence lives on after him.