GORDON, Bertha O. 1849-1935

GORDON, GAARDER, SUNDERMEYER, GISLESON, ADAMS, LEVERSON

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 12/30/2012 at 23:13:33

Mrs. Bertha O. Gordon, Thompson, Iowa, died May 4, 1935, at Charles City, Iowa.

Funeral services were conducted at Charles City Monday morning, by Rev P. T. Solem, and in the North Church of the St. John’s Congregation, near Depew, Iowa, where Rev. J. J. Skarpness of Thompson, Iowa, and the local pastor, Rev. A. K. Gaard, officiated.

Mrs. Gordon reached the age of 85 years and six months. She was born near Albany, Wisconsin, and a daughter of Thora and Guthorm Gaarder. She was married to Knut O. Gordon, who died in 1894. In 1883 the family settled near Mayville, North Dakota, and moved to Palo Alto County, Iowa, in 1890. Here they helped to organize the Synod Congregation, now known as the “North Church of the St. John’s United Lutheran Congregation.” For nearly twenty years she was president of the Ladies’ Aid. She was ever ready to help her neighbors in times of sickness and distress.

When she moved to Thompson, Iowa, she became a church member there. She was a consecrated Christian woman who carried on a personal Christian work; she led many to true repentance and faith in the Savior. She had committed to memory a large portion of the Bible and many Lutheran hymns, which was a great help and comfort to her in later years when she had lost nearly all physical sight.

At the service in Charles City, a gift in money was presented by Mrs. Gordon’s five sisters, to be given to the Ministers’ Widows’ Pension Fund of the Norwegian Lutheran Church. At the service in the North Church, at Depew, Iowa, several memorial gifts were turned over to Pastor Gaard, for the cause of Home Missions, Jewish Missions and Minister’s Pension, of the Norwegian Lutheran Church, in America.

Mrs. Gordon is survived by three sons: Rev. H. Truman Gordon, Chicago, Sever B. Gordon of Westbrook, Minnesota, and Carl B. Gordon, of Cylinder, Iowa, and by three daughters: Mrs. W. C. Sundermeyer, Rake, Iowa, Mrs. Ann Gisleson, Charles City, Iowa, and Mrs. Marie Adams, of Waterloo, Iowa.

The five sisters are: Mrs. E. E. Kittleson and Miss Julia Paulson, both of Albany, Wis., Mrs. O. S. Wallen, Portland, N. D., Mrs. Sophia Leverson, Osage, Iowa, and Mrs. Anna Jacobson of Decorah, Iowa. All are members of the Norwegian Lutheran Church of America.

Source: Lutheran Herald, June 25, 1935.
Contributed to IaGenWeb by Sylvia Nelson,
Golden Valley, MN.