Gorden Emory WORDEN

WORDEN, SCHWEIGER, OLK, BATTON, LIJADU, PAULEY

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 4/14/2011 at 20:37:48

December 17, 1930 -- April 12, 2011

DOWS, IA -- Gordon Worden, 80, of Dows died Tuesday, April 12, 2011, at the Rehabilitation Center of Hampton. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, April 15, at the Immanuel United Church of Christ, 204 E. South St. in Latimer. Pastor Linda Myren will officiate. Burial will take place in the Marion Center cemetery near Latimer. Graveside military rites will be provided by the Dows American Legion Watson-Beach Post 523. Visitation will be held from 5-7 p.m. Thursday, April 14, at the Dugger Funeral Home, 100 N. Lee St. in Dows, and will continue one hour prior to services at the church on Friday. Memorials may be made in Gordon E. Worden's name to the family. Dugger Funeral Home, 100 N. Lee St., Dows, IA.

Mason City Globe Gazette -- Iowa
April 14, 2011

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Gordon Worden, age 80, of Dows died Tuesday, April 12, 2011 at the Rehabilitation Center of Hampton. Funeral services for Gordon Worden were held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, April 15, 2011 at the Immanuel United Church of Christ in Latimer. Pastor Linda Myren officiated. Burial took place in the Marion Center cemetery near Latimer. Graveside military rites were provided by the Dows American Legion Watson–Beach Post # 523. Visitation for Gordon Worden was held from 5 – 7 p.m. Thursday, April 14, 2011 at the Dugger Funeral Home, in Dows. Memorials may be made in Gordon E. Worden’s name to the family.

Gordon Emory, the son of Chester J. and Viola E. Schweiger Worden, was born December 17, 1930 on a farm in Morgan Township. He joined two older brothers in the home. He was baptized and confirmed at the Morgan Township United Methodist Church. Gordon attended rural schools in Morgan Township through the seventh grade. He then attended school in Dows and graduated from Dows High School in 1949. Gordon attended Simpson College for a year and a half, before joining the U.S. Navy. Gordon served as an aircraft mechanic during the Korean Conflict in California and Hawaii. After his Honorable Discharge, he began farming in Morgan Township. During his first year home, he met and started dating a nice-looking girl, Betty Jean Olk. The couple was united in marriage at the Immanuel United Church of Christ in Latimer on May 20, 1956. After their first year of marriage, Gordon transferred his membership from the Morgan United Methodist Church to Immanuel United Church of Christ in Latimer. In Gordon and Betty Jean’s first few years of marriage, four children were brought into their home through adoption. They were Jean Marie, Kevin John, Lynn Ray and Nancy Ann. Gordon and Betty farmed eighteen years and then moved to their new home in Dows. Gordon worked at insurance sales, was a machinery mechanic and a welder. After his retirement, he hosted tours with the Dows Historical Society for many years and also served as the co-chair for that organization for several terms. During his years of membership at Immanuel U.C.C, Gordon sang in the choir for more than thirty years. He was an usher, taught Sunday School, served on several committees and boards and was an Elder for three years.

Gordon is survived by his wife, Betty Jean; four children, Kevin Worden (Stephanie) of Wichita, KS: Jean Worden (Jim Batton) of Dows: Lynn Worden (Margaret) of Dows: Nancy Worden (David Lijadu) of Ankeny; six grandchildren, Casey, Adam, Anthony, Megan, Brittany, Taylor; one great grandchild, Caden; sister, Marlys Pauley (James) of Norwalk; two brothers, Leonard Worden (Delores) of Iowa Falls: Chester William Worden (Patty) of Dysart; sister-in-law, Karmen Worden of Virginia and numerous other nieces and nephews,
He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Robert and Gaylord.

Dows Advocate - Dows, Iowa
April 2011