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Howard Eugene Gordon, 87, died Sunday, Jan. 22, 2012, at North Kansas City Hospital.
A celebration of his life will be held Saturday, Jan. 28, 2012, at 1 p.m. at Lindley Funeral Homes, Chillicothe. Visitation will be from 12 to 9 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks donations be made to the Howard Gordon Memorial Ducks Unlimited Scholarship which may be left at or mailed the funeral home at P.O. Box 47, Chillicothe, Mo. 64601. Online condolences may be left at www.lindleyfuneralhome.com.
He was born December 13, 1924, on the family farm south of Rothville, son of Velma (Rice) and Willie Harrel Gordon. On September 7, 1946, he married Frances Lee George in the home of her parents in Bosworth.
He was a grain and livestock farmer and attended country school, graduating in 1942 from Rothville High School. He received an invitation to try out for the St. Louis Cardinals organization after he finished high school. He joined the Navy during World War II. He volunteered for the Patrol Torpedo squadrons, graduated from Gunnery School and boat training in Seattle, WA., and deployed to the South Pacific. A Gunner’s Mate 3rd Class, he served in the Philippines through the end of the war. In 1944, his PT boat took part in the Battle of Philippine Sea, and the Battle of Leyte Gulf. He mustered out on May 7, 1946, in St. Louis. While awaiting processing, he was selected to be the American Flag bearer for pregame ceremonies on the field at the St. Louis Cardinals’ 1946 home opener at Sportsman’s Park. He returned home and farmed with his father for a short time on the home place. He and his wife moved Brookfield, and worked at Brown Shoe. He then went to work as a salesman for Standard Oil Co. The couple moved to St. Joseph, and later moved for a time to Excelsior Springs. In 1955, the family moved to Meadville, where he took over a Standard Oil tankwagon service from Toad Collis. He worked in fuel sales and distribution in Meadville for 58 years, representing Standard, Skelly, Getty, and most recently, MFA Oil Co. He also was a skilled and sought-after carpenter and cabinetmaker, working freelance and also with Raymond Caselman and Harold Lee for many years. From 1969 until 1992, was city clerk and then mayor of Meadville. And he served for decades on the volunteer fire department. In December 2008, he retired from the MFA tankwagon service, having logged over a million accident-free local miles with flammable liquids. He was a Third Degree Mason, a 50-plus year member of Williams-DeMoss Legion Post 517.
Survivors include two sisters, Helen Findley, Tucson, Ariz.; and Doris Kadel, Montezuma, Iowas.; daughter, Shelley Gordon Tate and husband, Steve, Chillicothe; son, Scott, and wife, Jessica, Columbia; five grandchildren, Kristin Tate Rennels and husband, Matt, Lawrence, KS., Laura Gordon Stewart and husband, Chuck, New London, Erin Tate, Liberty, Sarah Gordon, Nashville, TN., and Michael Tate, Kansas City, KS. ; three step-grandchildren, Rachel Lipanovich Winchell and husband, Stephen, oAnnapolis, MD., Mariah Lipanovich, Arlington, VA., and Jake Lipanovich and wife, Erica, Springfield; and two great-granddaughters, Macy Caroline and Alice Pearl Stewart, New London.
He was preceded in death by his parents, and by his wife, Fran, on Jan. 17, 1994.
Howard Eugene Gordon, 87, died Sunday, Jan. 22, 2012, at North Kansas City Hospital.
A celebration of his life will be held Saturday, Jan. 28, 2012, at 1 p.m. at Lindley Funeral Homes, Chillicothe. Visitation will be from 12 to 9 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks donations be made to the Howard Gordon Memorial Ducks Unlimited Scholarship which may be left at or mailed the funeral home at P.O. Box 47, Chillicothe, Mo. 64601. Online condolences may be left at www.lindleyfuneralhome.com.
He was born December 13, 1924, on the family farm south of Rothville, son of Velma (Rice) and Willie Harrel Gordon. On September 7, 1946, he married Frances Lee George in the home of her parents in Bosworth.
He was a grain and livestock farmer and attended country school, graduating in 1942 from Rothville High School. He received an invitation to try out for the St. Louis Cardinals organization after he finished high school. He joined the Navy during World War II. He volunteered for the Patrol Torpedo squadrons, graduated from Gunnery School and boat training in Seattle, WA., and deployed to the South Pacific. A Gunner’s Mate 3rd Class, he served in the Philippines through the end of the war. In 1944, his PT boat took part in the Battle of Philippine Sea, and the Battle of Leyte Gulf. He mustered out on May 7, 1946, in St. Louis. While awaiting processing, he was selected to be the American Flag bearer for pregame ceremonies on the field at the St. Louis Cardinals’ 1946 home opener at Sportsman’s Park. He returned home and farmed with his father for a short time on the home place. He and his wife moved Brookfield, and worked at Brown Shoe. He then went to work as a salesman for Standard Oil Co. The couple moved to St. Joseph, and later moved for a time to Excelsior Springs. In 1955, the family moved to Meadville, where he took over a Standard Oil tankwagon service from Toad Collis. He worked in fuel sales and distribution in Meadville for 58 years, representing Standard, Skelly, Getty, and most recently, MFA Oil Co. He also was a skilled and sought-after carpenter and cabinetmaker, working freelance and also with Raymond Caselman and Harold Lee for many years. From 1969 until 1992, was city clerk and then mayor of Meadville. And he served for decades on the volunteer fire department. In December 2008, he retired from the MFA tankwagon service, having logged over a million accident-free local miles with flammable liquids. He was a Third Degree Mason, a 50-plus year member of Williams-DeMoss Legion Post 517.
Survivors include two sisters, Helen Findley, Tucson, Ariz.; and Doris Kadel, Montezuma, Iowas.; daughter, Shelley Gordon Tate and husband, Steve, Chillicothe; son, Scott, and wife, Jessica, Columbia; five grandchildren, Kristin Tate Rennels and husband, Matt, Lawrence, KS., Laura Gordon Stewart and husband, Chuck, New London, Erin Tate, Liberty, Sarah Gordon, Nashville, TN., and Michael Tate, Kansas City, KS. ; three step-grandchildren, Rachel Lipanovich Winchell and husband, Stephen, oAnnapolis, MD., Mariah Lipanovich, Arlington, VA., and Jake Lipanovich and wife, Erica, Springfield; and two great-granddaughters, Macy Caroline and Alice Pearl Stewart, New London.
He was preceded in death by his parents, and by his wife, Fran, on Jan. 17, 1994.
