William Arnold Gordon, Sr.

William Arnold Gordon, Sr. died on Thursday, October 3, 2024 at the Montevideo Veterans Home at the age of 91.

Memorial services will be held at 3:00 PM on Saturday, October 12, 2024 at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Montevideo.

Visitation with the family will be held from 5 to 7 PM on Friday, October 11, 2024 at Anderson-TeBeest Funeral Home in Montevideo and continue one hour before the service at the church.

William Arnold Gordon, Sr. was born on February 12, 1933 in Montevideo to Bayard and Iona (Baseman) Gordon. He attended school in Montevideo and graduated from Montevideo High School. He was a heavy equipment operator for construction companies including Peterson Brothers in Montevideo, Eliason Excavating in Anderson IN, and then was an owner of Erickson and Son in Montevideo for many years. On October 8, 1953 William was united in marriage to Patricia Jean Schultz. He entered the United States Army in 1954 and served in the Army until 1956 and then the Army Reserve. 

William was an active member of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Montevideo. He served as an usher as well as helping out in many areas in the church. William was a member of the Montevideo VFW and was proud to gather with other veterans in the area. He enjoyed playing pool and enjoyed teaching others how to play the game. He loved to fish and hunt but he loved teaching his kids and grandkids to fish and hunt even more.

 Family has so many memories of Dad and Grandpa. William could fix anything and was a “collector” of lots of “stuff” because he might need it some day. William was a good woodworker and welder . He built several fish houses and homemade trailers . He loved to go to auctions and look for good deals on tools and small tractors. He often would sit and draw up plans for items he would fabricate in his garage. If he could make it himself he didn’t buy it. 

Family cherish the love and kindness that he had for his family and his fellow neighbors.  He cared for his parents and his mother and father-in-law for many years. William could never pass someone stranded on the side of the road without stopping to help. He was an animal lover and would bring home stray animals. He kept his sense of humor throughout everything in life and accepted pretty much everything life gave him, good or bad with grace and strength.

William is survived by his children: William (Kathy) Gordon, Jr., Montevideo, MN, Le’Raye (Tim) Griffin, Indianapolis, IN, Lola (Randy) Cox, Cincinnati, OH, Scott (Becky) Gordon, Dawson, MN; 8 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; sister, Nancy (Ed) Bakker, Bloomington, MN; and many other extended family and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Patricia in 2017; sister, LaDonna (Bob) Eliason; and brother, Bayard Gordon Jr.