Dorothy V. Gordon

Dorothy V. Gordon, 89, of Mason City, passed away peacefully, Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at Heritage Care Center. A Celebration of Life will be held 1:00 P.M. Saturday (May 4, 2013) at Trinity Lutheran Church, 213 N. Pennsylvania Avenue, with Pastor Kathy Graves officiating. A gathering of friends and family will be held 5:00 to 7:00 P.M. Friday (May 3, 2013) at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 N. Pennsylvania Ave. Cremation has taken place and a committal service will be at Oakland Cemetery, Centerville, Iowa at a later date. Memorials may be directed to Trinity Lutheran Church-Lutheran World Mission or NIACC Foundation in memory of Dorothy V. Gordon. Contributions to the NIACC Foundation will be utilized to establish scholarships for students in health related fields. Dorothy was born in 1923 in Centerville, Iowa, daughter of Harlan E. and Katherine (Campbell) Vinzant. She graduated from Centerville High School in 1941 and then took business training at American Institute of Commerce in Davenport, Iowa. While there she was a member of two A.A.U. National Champion basketball teams. She was united in marriage to Hib Smith in 1944 in Centerville and they moved to Mason City in 1962 where she worked for the Mason City schools, Muehe-Scott-Smith Insurance and then became a District Manager and Marketing representative for Iowa Kemper Insurance and Economy Fire & Casualty Insurance, retiring in 1988. On June 20, 1987 she married Orville (Charles) Gordon, who preceded her in death in November 2011. She was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church, P.E.O. Chapter DZ and active in Trinity Lutheran Churchwomen and Lydia Circle. She is a former member of the YWCA Board, North Iowa Mercy Auxiliary, Independent Insurance Agents of Iowa and Professional Insurance Agents of Iowa. She was the 1984 PIA Iowa Field Person of the Year. Dorothy was a people person and thoroughly enjoyed her family, friends, acquaintances and birthday, book and bridge clubs to the utmost. She is survived by daughter Kathy Bartilotta, Denver, Colorado; son Kip Smith and his wife Sherrie of Kalispell, Montana; son Doug Smith and his wife Jane of Inverness, Illinois; daughter Sharon Meyer and her husband Bob of Mason City; and daughter Linda Buzzetti of Deerfield Beach, Florida; twin brother William Vinzant and his wife Bonnie of Centerville; 12 grandchildren; 10 great grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, Orville, and two sisters. Dorothy’s family would like to acknowledge and thank the exceptional staff of Heritage Care and Rehabilitation Center for their compassionate and loving care during the past several months.

Cemetery:
Cremation has taken place and a committal service will be at Oakland Cemetery, Centerville at a later date.

Memorials may be directed to Trinity Lutheran Church-Lutheran World Mission or NIACC Foundation in memory of Dorothy V. Gordon. Contributions to the NIACC Foundation will be utilized to establish scholarships for students in health related fields.

Visitation:
A gathering of friends and family will be held 5:00 to 7:00 P.M. Friday (May 3, 2013) at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 N. Pennsylvania Ave.

Service:
A Celebration of Life will be held 1:00 P.M. Saturday (May 4, 2013) at Trinity Lutheran Church, 213 N. Pennsylvania Avenue, with Pastor Kathy Graves officiating.