06/04/2010
Marian Marlene (Vander Heiden) Gordon was born on March 16, 1934, north of Harvey, Iowa.
She was the youngest of three children that were born to John and Daney Anna Keiran
Vander Heiden.
Her mother had seven other children by a previous marriage to Oliver
Burkhart and the ten children were raised as one happy family. Marian was raised in
Harvey where she began her schooling and completed her high school education at Knoxville
High School in Knoxville, Iowa.
On April 20, 1950, she was united in marriage with
John Gordon at Lancaster, Missouri, and to this union four children were born: Brenda
Sue Kelly Eugene, Kathy Lee, and Misty Dawn. Marian and John lived all of the 60
years of married life together in Harvey.
First, she was an employee at McConnell’s
Grocery. In later years this became Gordon’s Grocery for which she became the owner.
She also owned Phillips 66 Service Station. Marian spent approximately 10 years
selling Avon and working at the Pamida Store in Knoxville. She also enjoyed buying,
renovating, renting, and then selling houses. This continued to flourish throughout
the remainder of her lifetime.
Marian was a member of the Assembly of God Church
in Harvey, Iowa. She served on the Harvey City Council and was Harvey City Clerk
and President of the Community Club. She ran Bingo games in Harvey and, for more
than 11 years, also this for the Shriner’s in Knoxville. She played softball and
coached baseball she was active with the senior citizen’s dinners and, she loved
to dance jitterbug bug. Marian enjoyed raising flowers in her garden but was well-known
an will most likely be remembered for her extensive Christmas light displays.
On Friday evening, June 4, 2010, she passed away at the Iowa Methodist Medical Center
in Des Moines, Iowa at the age of 76 years.
Marian is survived by her husband, John; their four children and their spouses: Sue and Marvin Ver Meer of Harvey, Kelly and Lori Gordon of Tracy, Iowa, Kathy Gordon of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Misty Gordon of Harvey; the following grandchildren: Bret and Tracy Pettyjohn of Melcher, Iowa,
Tanya and Greg Beebe of Tracy, Randy and True Gordon of Pella, Iowa, Amanda Gordon
of Ames, Iowa, Sarah and VVyck Beiderwell of Columbia, South Carolina, Shalee and
Rylee Van De Boe, both of Harvey; and the following great-grandchildren: Garret
Pettyjohn, Trenton Beebe and Lucas Beebe of Tracy, Iowa, Miles Gordon, Sophia Gordon
and Frances Gordon of Pella, Iowa Of her original family, Marian leaves one brother, Manford Burkhart of Knoxville.
She was preceded in death by her parents, John and Anna Vander Heiden; her brothers: Arie Vander Heiden and Eugene Vander Heiden along with the following brothers and sisters: Raymond Burkhart, Jonny Burkhart, Frank Burkhart, Mae Burkhart, Dicia Burkhart and Ethel Burkhart.