Source: News-Journal, July 14, 1975

Diplomat, Educator Dies Friday
Andrew Cordier Funeral Tuesday

Dr. Andrew W. Cordier, 73 [sic-74, b. March 3, 1901], former president of Columbia University, former United Nations advisor, and Manchester College trustee, died at 11:50 p.m. Friday, July 11 at the Manhasset Medical Center, Manhasset, N.Y.

Graveside rites are scheduled at 10 a.m. Tuesday, July 15 in Oaklawn Cemetery, North Manchester. Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday in the Manchester Church of the Brethren, North Manchester, with Dr. A. Blair Helman, president of Manchester College, and the Rev. David Rogers, officiating.

Bender Funeral Home, North Manchester, is handling arrangements.

Dr. Cordier became the 15th president of Columbia University in 1969. He had been acting president since August 1968. In September 1970, he was appointed president emeritus and trustee emeritus of Columbia. He had been dean of Columbia's School of International Affairs from 1962 until June 1972 when he retired to become director of development.

He was, from 1946 to 1961, Executive Assistant to the Secretary-General of the United Nations with the rank of Under-secretary, and served during the entire terms of both Trygve Lie and Dag Hammarskjold as their close collaborator. From that date to February, 1962, the time of his departure from the United Nations Secretariat, he served as Under-secretary in charge of General Assembly and Related Affairs, a function which he had discharged from the beginning of the United Nations.

He served as principal advisor to all presidents of the General Assembly and at various times he served as special representative of the Secretary-General in crisis areas, including Korea in 1952, Mount Scopus in 1958 and the Congo in 1960. From August, 1961 to February, 1962 Dr. Cordier served as undersecretary in charge of the General Assembly and related affairs.

Dr. Cordier taught at Greentown, Ohio high school from 1919 to 1921. He had a bachelor's degree from Manchester College in 1922 and master's and doctorate degrees from the University of Chicago. He was the recipient of honorary degrees from more than 20 colleges and universities throughout the world and of numerous awards and citations from governments and religious bodies.

After leaving Manchester College in 1944, Dr. Cordier served two years in the U.S. Department of State, devoting his time to drafting the U.N. charter. He served as technical expert on the U.S. delegation at the founding conference of the United Nations in San Francisco.

In 1945 he went to London to assist in setting up the United Nations. He was a trustee for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Foreign Policy Association, Dag Hammarskjold Foundation, Near East Foundation, and Manchester College. He served as direct for the American Association for the United Nations, U.S. Committee for the United Nations, U.S. Committee for UNICEF, Agricultural Technical Assistance Foundation, Agricultural Missions and American Association for Middle Eastern Studies.

He is survived by one son, Lowell E. of Hicksville, N.Y. and one daughter, Louise of New Milford, Connecticut.

A memorial fund has been established at Manchester College by the family of Dr. Cordier.