STRONG – Kathleen Ellen Cordes, 50, passed away on Aug. 24, after a long and courageous battle with cancer. She was blessed with many friends and family at her side in the last months of her illness.

She was born in East Meadow, N.Y. on Aug. 3, 1956. Upon completion of high school, she attended the University of Maine at Farmington on a full scholarship and received her bachelor’s degree in special education. After graduation, she worked for the Strong School System and then came to LEAP, Inc. in 1981 (formerly known as Western Maine ARC.)

Kathy dedicated herself to LEAP for more than 25 years, providing quality and dignified supports to persons with developmental disabilities. She is remembered by her ability to see “potential in people” before they themselves recognized it.

Her innovative and dignified supports were felt both by the people she worked for and worked with. She did not settle for better in regard to the services she provided and always strove for best. Even during the last few months of her illness, she stayed connected and remained supportive of others within the agency.

Her advocacy and vision will be greatly missed with the LEAP community.

She is survived by her sons, Matthew Cordes of Portland and Luke Cordes of Strong; her mother, Vera Jones-Wycoff of New York; sisters, Coleen Huss of Pennsylvania and Maureen Roeth and her husband, Jacques, of New York; brothers, John Jones Jr. and wife, Debra and Tom Jones and his wife, Donna, of New York; and many nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her father, John M. Jones Sr.