Nancy Gordon

Nancy Gordon, age 92, passed away on Sunday, June 23, 2024, with her children at her side. Her precious husband, John, preceded her in death in 2019.  Nancy is survived by her son John Gordon, Jr.  and daughter Susan Rollo, grandchildren: David (Nina), Katie, and Will Gordon; Michael, Melissa, Nicole, and Jennifer Rollo; great-grandson Mateo Rollo, and great-granddaughter Holly Rollo.  Nancy is also survived by sisters-in-law Marge McGehee, Lois Lanning and Beth Gordon.  She was also preceded by brothers Bob, Bud, and Bill McGehee, and sister Pam Schmidt. 

Born August 11, 1931, in Detroit, Nancy grew up in Jonesville and Hillsdale, Michigan.  Her father, Paul, passed away when Nancy was only 8, from complications of poison gas exposure in World War I.  Coming during the Great Depression, this caused the family (mother, Mae McGehee, and the five children) to have to give up their much-loved farm near Jonesville and move into Hillsdale.  Like many during that difficult time, life was tough, but through depression and another world war, the family persevered.  Nancy graduated from Hillsdale High School in 1949, part of a class profiled in Life magazine.

After briefly attending Michigan State College (now University), Nancy moved to Grand Rapids with her best friend, Esther Duncan, and worked at Wurzburg’s Department Store downtown.  Through Esther, she met John, and they were married in Hillsdale in 1955.   Nancy remained close to her extended family in western Kentucky, California, and Florida.  She and John had many “adventures” involving sailboats, starting on Gull Lake, Reeds Lake, and then the Great Lakes and finally, salt water!  In addition to sailing trips as far away as England, they also visited many other locations in the U.S., Canada, and as far afield as Egypt.

Nancy was a true “homemaker,” with a real flair for design and color.  Besides homes in Grand Rapids, she also “made” places in Saugatuck, Glen Arbor, Georgia, and Florida, along with several boats.  Summers generally found she and John, often with family “in tow,” up north and/or on the water.  Meeting John after boat races to Mackinac Island, and later cruising the Great Lakes were annual highlights!

In her later years, Nancy enjoyed winters in Florida, and summers in Saugatuck.  She and John were “based” at Beacon Hill in Grand Rapids for their last years, with John’s sister and sisters-in-law all there, as well.  After Nancy fell and broke her leg, a WONDERFUL group of caregivers were with she and John 24/7.  These amazing women took such good care of them, through John’s dementia and death (after 63 years of marriage), and Nancy’s final years.

Relatives and friends are invited to greet the family. Visitation will be Thursday, June 27, from 3-6 p.m. at Christ Church, 2500 Breton Road, Grand Rapids. The funeral service will also be held at Christ Church, on Friday, June 28, at 11:00 a.m.  For those interested in a living memorial in honor of Nancy, we encourage you to consider a gift to D.A. Blodgett - St. John's, Forgotten Man Ministries, or Mel Trotter Ministries.  Arrangements by Metcalf & Jonkhoff Funeral Services. 

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