Gloria T. Gordee, age 88, of South Wayne, died peacefully at home surrounded by her family on Tuesday, January 28, 2014. Gloria was born in Avon Park, Florida on November 13, 1925, the daughter of Ira and Grace (Ridgley) Thompson. She was raised in Caseyville, IL and graduated from O'Fallon Township High School in 1943. Gloria received a degree as a registered nurse in East St. Louis, IL in 1946. She came to Monroe in 1946 and met her future husband, Merlyn L. Gordee, while working as a registered nurse at St. Clare Hospital. They were married on September 13, 1947 at the Jordan Lutheran Church. They lived on the Gordee home farm in Jordan Township from 1961 until 1974. Gloria worked as nurse for Dr. Baumann at Monroe Clinic for several years, was a plant nurse at Advance Transformer, and retired from Pleasant View Nursing Home in 1988. In September 1988, she and Merlyn moved to Radisson, WI, where they had a cabin on the Chippewa Flowage. Due to declining health they returned to South Wayne in 1998. Gloria was a member of the Jordan Lutheran Church since 1947, enjoyed canning, quilting, crossword puzzles, playing pinochle, and fishing up north.
She is survived by five children, LaVerne (Margaret) Gordee of Monroe, Lois (Chet) Smith of St. Peters, MO, Bruce (Sallee) Gordee of Browntown, Beth (Gary) Luhman of Browntown, and Mary (David) Ellingson of Monroe; 16 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; a brother, John D. Thompson of Fairview Heights, IL; and two sisters, Gladys Harris of Fairview Heights, IL, and Betty Lou Doussard of Warsaw, MO. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband on June 13, 2009; three sisters, Iris, Iva, and Inez; and an infant brother.
Funeral services will be held Friday, January 31, 2013, at 11:00 A.M., at the Jordan Lutheran Church, Jordan Township, with Rev. Dennis Perger officiating. Interment will be in the Jordan Church Cemetery. Visitation will be at the Newcomer Funeral Home, Monroe, on Thursday from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. and at the church on Friday from 10:00 A.M. until the time of service. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested in Gloria's name to St. Judes Children's Hospital.
www.newcomerfuneralhome.net
She is survived by five children, LaVerne (Margaret) Gordee of Monroe, Lois (Chet) Smith of St. Peters, MO, Bruce (Sallee) Gordee of Browntown, Beth (Gary) Luhman of Browntown, and Mary (David) Ellingson of Monroe; 16 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; a brother, John D. Thompson of Fairview Heights, IL; and two sisters, Gladys Harris of Fairview Heights, IL, and Betty Lou Doussard of Warsaw, MO. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband on June 13, 2009; three sisters, Iris, Iva, and Inez; and an infant brother.
Funeral services will be held Friday, January 31, 2013, at 11:00 A.M., at the Jordan Lutheran Church, Jordan Township, with Rev. Dennis Perger officiating. Interment will be in the Jordan Church Cemetery. Visitation will be at the Newcomer Funeral Home, Monroe, on Thursday from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. and at the church on Friday from 10:00 A.M. until the time of service. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested in Gloria's name to St. Judes Children's Hospital.
www.newcomerfuneralhome.net