MARJORIE JEAN PEARSALL GORDON, 89, passed
away on Feb. 10, 2016 in Wichita Falls, TX, with
burial at Evergreen Cemetery in Ranger, TX.
Marjorie was born Nov. 17, 1926 in Ranger, TX to
Francis Stanley Pearsall & Lela Louise (Porterfield)
Pearsall. She lived in Thurber, TX through the first
grade, then moved with her family to Ranger, TX. She
was skilled at playing the piano and excelled at the
violin at an early age. Marge performed, not only at
church, but at social functions in the community
throughout her school years. Marge enjoyed spending
time fishing which was an activity that her father
taught her. She attended Ranger High School in the
Class of 1944. It was in high school that she met the
love of her life, Byron Winn Gordon (RHS-1944). After
graduation, Byron joined the U.S. Army and Marge went
to college at North Texas Women's University. After
her freshman year, she transferred to St. Joseph School
of Nursing in Fort Worth, Texas. She obtained her
Registered Nurse Degree. While there, she formed many
life-long friendships. After graduation, she worked at
the VA Hospital in Denton. She & Byron were married in
March of 1949 in Ranger. As Byron was employed by Texaco,
their married life started in Monument, NM. Other
oilfield towns included Snyder, Penwell, Odessa and
Hobbs. Marge worked private duty nursing for several
years until her children were attending school. At
that time, she worked at Lea General Hospital as the
supervisor for surgical floor and emergency room. After
the move to Hobbs, the city girl got to become a "country"
girl. Her life now included canning, moving irrigation
pipe, doctoring livestock, baling hay & raising tomatoes.
She became an accomplished seamstress, making all the
clothes for her family. This included dress suits for
Byron. She also found time to be first chair violin in
the Hobbs Symphony Orchestra. After moving to North
Texas in 1976, Marge began taking art classes. She
astonished her family with yet another talent, oil
painting. She showed her artwork at various venues in
the area, including the Kemp Center for the Arts. She
also studied photography & would take pictures wherever
she went to use as the subject for her paintings. She
enjoyed painting until 2010 when health issues arose.
Marge and Byron also bred, raised and showed Doberman
Pinschers. Most of all, she loved spending time at
family gatherings.
Marjorie is preceded in death by her husband; parents;
son, Carroll Glenn Gordon; brother, John F. Pearsall
(RHS-1941); & grandson, John Paul Welty.
Surviving relatives include her daughter, Kathleen Jean
(Gordon) Smyers & her husband, Jerry M. Smyers of Holliday,
TX; grandsons, Richard Gordon and family of Portland, OR;
Gene Gordon and family of Victoria, TX; Kelly (Gordon)
Downing and family of Henderson, NV; Heather (Gordon)
Simmens and family of Wichita Falls, TX; and John Gordon
and family of Wichita Falls, TX; and numerous nieces and
nephews.