Cordella Perry Rambo died Friday, June 26, 2020 at the age of 94 at the Seasons Hospice and Palliative Care Center in Dallas, TX. A native Texan, Cordella was born December 18, 1925, in Greenville, Texas, the daughter of Walter Perry and Ella Ferguson Perry.
Cordella grew up in Greenville, Texas, and graduated from Greenville High School in 1942 at age 16. She received her degree from Texas State College for Women in 1945. She began teaching school at age 19. Regarding education, Cordella would proudly boast that her parents made sure that she, her sisters and brother graduated from high school and college. She would quote her father, saying that “An education is something that no one can ever take away from you.”
On November 24, 1952, in Dallas, TX, she married Bradford Robert Rambo. Brad’s career was in the Air Force, and once they married, she traveled and lived in numerous places throughout the United States and overseas with him. With every move they made for the military, Cordella always worked on the airbase in an administrative position, typically supporting top-ranking Colonels. Once Brad retired from the Air Force, she continued government work with the Cotton Division in Dallas, TX. In 1971, the Cotton Division relocated to El Paso, TX. And Cordella went back to College, updated her teaching credentials, and began teaching the 4 th grade at Red Oak ISD. She would always tell people that she passed the 4 th grade 19 times. It was the only grade she taught during a 19-year career at Red Oak ISD.
Cordella believed in Jesus Christ asa her savior and was a member of Southwest Baptist Church. She will be remembered as a loyal daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother and friend. She was a walking piece of history and had many life stories and adventures to share with others.
She is survived by her daughter Karen Rambo, son-in-law Robert John Knudson, granddaughter Grace Catherine Knudson and brother Reeves Baldwin Perry. In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by sisters Frances Catherine Holleyman in 2018 and Bennie Aerial Drew in 2014.