Lloyd Ivan Gordon

Lloyd Ivan Gordon, Jr. passed away on the morning of Thursday, February 11, 2021, at the age of 91 years. He was born on August 14, 1929 in Winfield, KS to parents, Lloyd “Red” Gordon and Gladys (Cornwell) Gordon. He grew up in Winfield, graduating from Winfield High School in 1947. He attended Southwestern Junior College in Waxahachie, Texas, where he enjoyed singing, and joined the Phi Mu Alpha music fraternity and received his Associates Degree in Accounting. He matriculated on to Phillips University in Enid, Oklahoma, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in Accounting.

Upon graduation, he enlisted in the United States Air Force, followed by Officer Training, and had come home for Christmas to visit his parents in Winfield, where a rather large family had recently moved to town from Michigan and had started attending his local church.

He met the love of his life, Faye Berniece Fielding, at First Assembly of God in Winfield, Kansas. The story is told that from the platform, she noticed a handsome, young officer walk into the sanctuary, and he noticed the cute, petite girl wearing a sweater, singing in the church choir. Their first date was at New Year’s; they were engaged in July of the same year and were married on November 14, 1953 at the church where they had met.

Lloyd proudly served our country in the Air Force and rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel before his retirement. As an Air Force Reserve Officer, he attended and participated in weekly training, mostly on Tuesday evenings. Faye, Sheryl, and Beverlye would line up in the hallway by the front door to salute him as he left the house.

With his former roommate from Southwestern, best friend, Gene Thomas, he got a job at Continental Oil Company in Ponca City as an accountant. But as Gene rose through the ranks at Conoco, Lloyd set his sights for a career in auditing, and accepted a position with the federal government as an internal auditor, first for the Department of Defense, and then for the Department of Energy. This new position was in Tulsa, and as Faye was expecting Beverlye and didn’t want to move before she was born, Lloyd lived for a time with Faye’s sister, Barbara, and her husband, Jerry Roberson, during the week, returning to Ponca City and his little family on weekends.

Within months of the new arrival, Lloyd and Faye moved their family to Tulsa. Soon after, they built a new home which backed up to Memorial in what was considered South Tulsa, at the time, but was actually just south of 57th East Avenue. They remained in this home until moving, part-time at first, and then full-time to the Rio Grande Valley following retirement.

The family attended Suburban Hills Assembly of God for several years until the church closed its doors. Barbara and Jerry had begun attending a young congregation and convinced her sister’s family to visit East 21st Street Assembly of God, which is where they made their church home. Lloyd served his home church of Eastland Assembly of God in Tulsa, singing in the church choir, as assistant treasurer, and on the Deacon Board for over 20 years.

In his retirement years, Lloyd and wife, Faye enjoyed travel, especially pulling their Avion travel trailer. They lived in it for a few months at a time, when they first began to stay in the Valley, before they decided to move down there, full-time. They were very involved in their resort, playing golf and tennis, taking classes, and participating in wood shop events and finally finding the model train club.

He served in their home church of First Assembly in McAllen, Texas, and served as an Elder Team, with Faye, who also served as a greeter. They stayed in close contact with assigned church families, organizing social events, game nights, and meals. As a couple team, Lloyd and Faye also organized weekly ministry to a retirement home in the Valley. Additionally, Lloyd accompanied his good friend, Gary Morgan, a missionary to Mexican prisons, on weekly visits to minister and pray with the prisoners.

Lloyd’s love for music was evident throughout his entire life. He had always sung in the sanctuary choirs at church, and when they moved to the Rio Grande Valley, he joined SPEBSQA, a Barber-Shop Quartet society which rehearsed and performed in parks and resorts throughout the Valley. Later in life, Lloyd began singing solos in ministry, and most recently, he sang in the Eastland Assembly Senior Service a couple of months ago, just before Christmas.

Lloyd’s love for cars began as a toddler. His mother often repeated the story that he would sit on the curb, especially during a parade, and call out the make and model of each car that drove by. His claims were confirmed by nearby parade-watchers, who were always surprised and impressed that such a young tyke knew his cars so well. If you knew Lloyd, you knew he kept his cars clean and pristine. And if you knew him, that comment just made you smile.

Lloyd is preceded in death by his parents. He leaves many loving memories with his family, wife Faye Gordon; daughter Sheryl Middleton and husband, Marco; daughter Beverlye Tighe and husband Jamie; grandson Hunter Tighe and wife Reagan; great-granddaughter Whitley Tighe; grandson Scott Tighe and wife Addison; great-grandson Waylon Tighe; granddaughter Lis Tighe; along with many other loving relatives and a host of friends.