Obitiuary Gordon Welsh February 19, 2016

February 19, 2016
Obituaries

Gordon Welsh 

Gordon Jared Welsh, a 35-year resident of Santa Paula, passed away on Valentine’s Day 2016, a poetic parting.  Everyone who knew him would agree that he was a real sweetheart, filled with love for his family and friends, “the good people who live in this beautiful valley,” in his own characteristically heartfelt words.

Born April 21, 1925 in Minneapolis, Gordon had an adventurous childhood and adolescence due to his father’s military career.  

The man who became our wonderful Valentine learned to be a tough soldier at the age of 18, serving in George Patton’s Third Army.  His 26th Infantry Division was called into combat and he landed in Cherbourg, France following the D-Day invasion.  

After being wounded a second time in November 1944, Gordon received orders to return to Washington, D.C. for further medical treatment.  While convalescing, he met General Dwight Eisenhower twice.  The young G.I. said: “I’ll forever remember the occasion but I don’t think Ike did.”  

Gordon used the G.I. Bill to attend Princeton University, where he graduated with a degree in geology.  He has often laughed about how drinking beer and playing darts in his first year of college may have been a bit more fascinating to him. 

Gordon found work in Los Angeles with the company that became Sun Oil and provided him personal fulfillment and financial security for more than 30 years.

 This family sweetheart, U.S. soldier, and Princeton scholar found his own sweetheart, Marilyn Hartman, and married her in 1956.  The happy couple shared a blessed event in 1961 with the birth of their daughter Jennifer.  After Marilyn passed away in 1971, Gordon met June Pendleton, who actually knew his daughter Jennifer first.   They started a new life as husband and wife, from 1972 to the passing of June in 2009.  On their first date, Gordon and June took Jennifer to the Ventura County Fair, a touching sign of the value of family to them.

Gordon retired in 1986, although he continued to do some independent contractor work for oil development projects.  He and June became volunteers in many worthy enterprises, including Meals on Wheels, and were strong supporters of the First United Methodist Church in Santa Paula. He was a proud member of Mercer-Prieto VFW Post 2043.  Although he demonstrated his courage, strength, and resilience in combat, Gordon’s favorite hymn was about peace, “This is My Song” by Jean Sibelius.  Almost every soldier is also a peacemaker.  Jesus said: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.”  

We have been blessed to share so many years with Gordon, who gave us warm and wonderful memories, from Christmas gatherings and Fourth of July parties, to visits at the “Welsh manor,” complete with Gordon’s prized hummingbird feeders. Who will feed the little birds now that he is gone?  

Gordon was preceded in death by his first wife Marilyn; his younger brother, Michael Welsh; his sister, Sally Jones; his parents Col. Earl G. Welsh and Caroline Osborne Welsh, his grandson, Michael Pendleton, his second wife June, and his grandnieces Patricia Kennedy & Melissa Jones.

He is survived by daughter Jennifer Welsh of Brenham, Texas; brother Charles (Barbara) Welsh of Fort Worth, Texas; June’s children Roger (Yvonne) Pendleton of Arlington, Texas; John (Stephanie) Pendleton of Ventura; Mary (Glenn) Deines of Santa Paula; nieces Caroline Jones-Forbear of Crestline; Sarah (Tommy) McFadden of Fort Worth, Texas; nephews Scott (Felipa) Jones of Santa Rosa; and Bill (Kim) Jones of Aromas.

He is also survived by grandchildren Jeff (Phylis) Pendleton of Versailles, Kentucky; Jocelyn Pendleton of Bellevue, Kentucky; Leah (Jeff) Owings of Arlington, Texas; Jay (Ashley) Pendleton of Austin, Texas; Matthew (Megan) Pendleton of San Francisco; Mark (Melanie) Chisholm of Santa Paula; and Brad (Kate) Chisholm of Ventura.

 And by grandnieces Dr. Teresa Jones of San Francisco and Faith McFadden and grandnephew Eric McFadden; and by great grandchildren Jared, Christian and Anne-Haley Pendleton, Avery, Lillie and Grafton Owings, Lucas and Hudson Pendleton, Graham Pendleton, Daniel Gordon Chisholm, and Oriole June and Olive Chisholm.

 Please join us as we celebrate his life on Tuesday, February 23 at 10 am at the First United Methodist Church, 133 N. Mill St, Santa Paula, CA 93060. Internment at Santa Paula Cemetery with military honors following.  Please feel free to wear red white and blue to honor this great patriot.  In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Methodist Church.   





Site Search

E-Subscribe

Subscribe

E-SUBSCRIBE
Call 805 525 1890 to receive the entire paper early. $50.00 for one year.

webmaster