Gordon Ira Broeder, 85
Gordon Ira Broeder, 85, passed away Thursday, Dec. 23, 2004 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
Gordon was born July 10, 1919, in Sumatra, Mont., to Fred and Alma Carlson Broeder Sr. He attended elementary school in Eastern Montana and graduated from Flathead County High School in 1938. Gordon married Hazel J. Jensen in 1941, in Kalispell. They were together for 63 years.
As a young man, Gordon worked on the family farm. After high school, he started working in the woods until he entered the Navy on May 17, 1944. He served as a Fireman 1st Class on the U.S.S. Massachusetts battleship during World War II. He was honorably discharged on Jan. 15, 1946.
After serving in the military, Gordon worked for several sawmills until he and his brother Fred began their own lumber mill, Broeder Brothers Lumber Co. He retired from the lumber business in 1974.
Gordon was a member of the Bethany Lutheran Church, the Masons Lodge of Bigfork, The Scottish Rites, Flathead Shriners and the Shriners Band, Elks, Eagles, Hoo Hoo's (lumbermen's organization), VFW, Creston Grange and the Creston Volunteer Fire Department.
He served on the Bethany Lutheran Church Council and the Creston School Board. He was a 4-H leader, Babe Ruth baseball coach and women's softball coach.
He loved golfing, hunting, fishing, gardening, taking family trips in the camper, playing cards, reading, music, winter in Arizona with his wife Hazel, and spending time with his family and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents; one sister, Arlene Wellman; and one brother, Fred Broeder Jr.
He is survived by his wife, Hazel, of Kalispell; daughter, Carol and her husband, Richard Seddon, of Kalispell; son, Gary and his wife, Karen Broeder, of Billings; daughter, Barbara and her husband, Nathan Byrd, of Kalispell; daughter, Sandra and husband, Bill Hall, of Bozeman; twins, Dale and his wife, Janis Broeder, of Kalispell, and Diane and her husband, Chip Todd, of Butte; son, David and his wife, Jude Broeder, of Kalispell; 15 grandchildren; four step-grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be from 3-8 p.m. Monday, Dec. 27, at Buffalo Hill Funeral Home. Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 28, at Bethany Lutheran Church in Bigfork. Burial will follow the services in Bethany Lutheran Cemetery.
Gordon was a kind and gentle person with a great sense of humor. He was a loving and devoted husband, father and grandfather. "We will miss you so much but your spirit will live on in all of us."
The family requests memorials in Gordon's name be given to the Bethany Lutheran Church or the Spokane Children's Hospital.
Buffalo Hill Funeral Home is caring for the family.