Nellie Gordon Obituary

Our beloved mother and grandmother, Nellie May Darling Gordon, passed away peacefully at her home in Federal Way, Washington April 28, 2020. She was born on January 16, 1928 in Tacoma Washington to Charles Ernest Darling and Hilda Carolina Swanson Darling. Nellie's father, Charles (Charlie) was born in Wisconsin but lived primarily in Michigan where he met Nellie's mother, Hilda, who emigrated from Sweden in 1906 at the age of 19. Charles had been married twice before and had 5 children. Nellie did not know about any of her half siblings in Michigan until recently, long after her father's death in 1968 (one lived until 1994). After Charlie and Hilda were married, they moved to Seattle, Washington.

Nellie was born in Tacoma, Washington at the Northern Pacific Hospital and 18 months later, her sister Ruby was born. Most of Nellie's growing up years were south of Seattle in the area known as White Center. Nellie attended Mt. View Elementary School then later Highline High School. After graduation she worked as an agent for the US Government arranging for shipment of supplies to Alaska. She later met Howard McAllister Gordon and they married June 6, 1953 in the Fauntleroy Church adjacent to Fauntleroy Park in West Seattle and near the Fauntleroy Ferry. After a few years into the marriage, Howard and Nellie weren't able to have children of their own and decided to adopt. Their first child, was adopted at birth, born November 29, 1956, in Seattle, John Howard Gordon, the same year that Nellie's mother Hilda passed away. Howard was a bus driver for Seattle Transit but joined a couple partners and started a business in Denver, Colorado. As a result, the family sold their home on Beacon Hill in Seattle and moved to Denver in 1958 where they remained for 5 years. While in Denver, Howard and Nellie adopted a second child, Cathlyn Denise Gordon who was born February 5, 1961. In the Fall of 1963, Howard sold his share of the business to the other partners and the family moved back to Seattle. For a couple of years, the family lived in Nellie's father's home. During that time John attended the same elementary school attended by Nellie in her youth. Some of the teachers were still there! Nellie's husband Howard was a skilled carpenter, building homes in Federal way. They purchased a lot with a view of the Puget Sound within walking distance of the beach in Federal way and built their dream home where Nellie and Howard and their children resided for twenty years.

While in Federal Way, the family joined Calvary Lutheran Church and Howard and Nellie and their children were active members for many years. Howard donated his carpentry skills to the church and Nellie was a super volunteer until her death working with the homeless and running the church library. She served her church and those in need tirelessly every week for decades. This service put her in direct contact with people needing financial and housing assistance and emergency services not only at Calvary but in the Federal Way community at large.

After being a housewife for many years, in 1973 Nellie rejoined the workforce working for Thomas Jefferson and Decatur high schools in the Federal Way school district as an audio/visual technician and a librarian for over twenty years. While working for high schools, Nellie took the opportunity to serve as a volunteer chaperone on several trips to Europe! On one of her European trips, she took the time to find some of her relatives in Sweden, her mother's homeland.

Later, Howard and Nellie became the weekend managers of the Baroness Hotel next to Virginia Mason Hospital in Seattle, catering to families with loved ones undergoing treatment at the local hospitals.

Of course, family was very important to Nellie. She provided enormous support to Cathlyn in the raising of her two sons and she spent many memorable visits with John, his wife Catherine and two sons and three daughters in Salt Lake City. A trip Nellie was very excited about was when she traveled to Mexico with her son and daughter and most of her grandchildren. Towards the end of her life when her health was poor, she was determined to travel to Utah one more time to meet her two recently born great-grandchildren. She loved dogs and always had a dog even at the end of her life.

Nellie was an extremely hard worker, an excellent cook, a faithful church member and a loyal friend, parent and grandparent. She is greatly missed by those she left behind. We love you forever Nellie!

Nellie is preceded in death by her husband Howard. At the time of Nellie's death her sister Ruby was still living but has since passed away.

Nellie is survived by both of her children, Cathlyn Riley (Doug Grenfell) and John H. Gordon (Catherine Burton), 7 grandchildren, Sean Riley (Autumn Felling), Kyle Riley, Rob Gordon (Trish Stuhan), Trevor Gordon (Olesya Ilkun), Maddy Gardner (Gabe Chilson), Jane Gardner, Sierra Gordon and 5 great-grandchildren (Piper, Rory and Jack Gordon; Max and Alex Gordon).

Memorial services will be held on August 5, 2023 at 11 am at Calvary Lutheran Church at 2415 S 320th St, Federal Way, WA 98003.