David Oscar Cordell was born November 11, 1931 in St. John Hospital, Tulsa, Oklahoma and died March 15, 2018 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  He came from Oklahoma pioneer stock, his father being Oscar Lu Cordell, the eldest son of Aquilla John Cordell.  His mother was Eda May Turley Cordell and he was the youngest of three children, his siblings John Turley Cordell and Emily May Cordell Scott having predeceased him.  David was the devoted husband of almost 60 years of Sally Merrill Kellam Cordell, also from a pioneer Tulsa family, the Clintons.  A Cascia Hall graduate, David later went to the University of Kansas and graduated in 1954 with a bachelor's degree in law, then obtained his Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Oklahoma in 1955.  After spending two years as a trial and defense lawyer in the judge advocate corps of the U.S. Air force in Korea, David joined the Tulsa law firm of Wills and Wills until 1966 when he left to open his own practice, specializing in oil, gas and real estate.

In 1972 he joined the legal staff of Marathon Oil Co. serving in Tulsa and Houston.  In 1976 he was named division attorney in Marathon's Casper Wyoming office until joining Mustang Fuel Corporation in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma as its General Counsel in 1979.  He remained in that capacity until 1996 when he joined Conner & Winters law firm in its Oklahoma City office. In 1999 he and Sally returned to their hometown of Tulsa.

David was an excellent golfer, loved music and friends.  He and Sally traveled worldwide but were always firmly rooted at home with their families and friends.  For all of his lifetime in Tulsa, David was a member of First Presbyterian Church and a fixture on the top left row of the Chancel Choir.  He is a man of faith and was a model to many.

David was predeceased by his wife Sally.  He is survived by his daughter Carol Cordell Mullins, her husband, Keith Mullins and their son Charles of Denver, Colorado, son David Ryan Cordell and his wife Martha Tisdale Cordell of Tulsa, Oklahoma and their children David Ryan Cordell, Jr and Mary Louise Cordell, both of whom are law students at Tulane University College of Law.

David fought the good fight, finished his race and kept the faith.  "…Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."  Psalm 23. David is with his Lord now.

There will be a private family graveside service.  It is suggested that memorial contributions be made to the Chancel Choir, First Presbyterian Church of Tulsa by clicking the link on this page.