Coerte Van Voorhies passed in October 2021 after many weeks of fighting respiratory and digestive system infections. He is survived by his longtime wife, Wendy, two sons, Eric and Will; and his siblings, Lemoine '61, Sarah '65, and Daven '70.

Coerte came to prominence as a valedictorian of the South Pasadena High School, class of 1974. His education continued with a BS from the Claremont College of Harvey Mudd where he met future wife Wendy. They traveled to Colorado where he earned a Masters/PhD in Astro/Geophysics from the Colorado University Boulder. Acceptance of a research position with the NASA Goddard Space Laboratory took them to Maryland where he conducted research into the geomagnetism of solar system planets.

Coerte's journey also included the early outdoors with hiking adventures in the San Gabriel, Sierra, Alaskan, Rocky, and Appalachian Mountains. Later his focus was home maintenance including chopping the wood for the fireplace hearth. With Wendy, his Maryland household was one of warm loving support for each other, and their sons.

Daven Voorhies '70, brother

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Coerte passed away peacefully at Anne Arundel Medical Center on October 31, 2021 after a three-month illness. He is survived by his wife Wendy, sons Will and Eric, and daughter-in-law Sally Voorhies; also his sisters Lemoine Fernandez and Sarah Voorhies; his brother Daven Voorhies and sister-in-law Vickie Voorhies; nieces Sabrina Brennan and her wife Aimee Luthringer, Nyssa Brennan, Jessica Curcio and her husband Jon; nephews Jonah Brennan, Dereck Voorhies and his wife Leslie, and Wesley Voorhies; also seven grandnieces and nephews.

Coerte grew up in South Pasadena, California; he developed an abiding love of mountains while hiking with the Boy Scouts. He graduated from South Pasadena High School in 1974 and went on to major in physics at Harvey Mudd College in Claremont, where he graduated in 1978. He earned a doctorate in Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences at the University of Colorado at Boulder in 1984. He and Wendy then moved to Maryland so he could pursue geophysical research at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. After 28 years, he retired as a senior scientist in 2012. Since retiring he had enjoyed scenic travel, gardening, dining with family, playing guitar, and his weekly RPG group. 

Pasadena Star-News, November 7, 2021