Warren Gordonwood

ARNOLD MOORE & NEEKAMP FUNERAL HOME, BARTLESVILLE, OK (918) 336-5225 - Warren Jefferson (Jeff) Gordonwood passed away peacefully January 23, 2017, after suffering a stroke, aged 95 years. He was born on September 28, 1921 to Bereniece and Percival Gordonwood in Plainsfield, New Jersey. When he was 15 the family moved to Parksville, Kentucky. He completed high school at Perryville High School. After he graduated, he enrolled at the University of Kentucky and began studying Engineering. While he was at the university, World War II broke out. Jeff joined the United States Army, serving as a Second Lieutenant in the 220th Engineering Battalion, attached to the 20th Armored Division. In 1945 his unit was sent to Europe where he served through the end of the war and after. After he left the Army, he returned to the University of Kentucky to complete his Engineering degree. While he was there, he met Elizabeth (Lib) Leming and, on September 2, 1951 they were married. Their union lasted 60 years. In 1951, Jeff joined Phillips Petroleum Company as a process engineer and he and Lib moved to Bartlesville where his children Laura and Dean were born. His work at Phillips took him to many different parts of the U. S. He worked in Utah, Montana, California, Texas and Oklahoma. Near the end of his career, he lived in Belgium and capped it off living in London, England for four years. Jeff retired in 1986 to Bartlesville. When Lib passed away in 2012, he moved to Edmond, OK to be close to his son, Dean. Jeff had many and varied interests. He was an avid outdoorsman, especially enjoying hunting and fishing. As a part of that pursuit, he was a long-time member of the Bartlesville Sportsmens Club, enjoying all manner of shooting sports, skeet and trap, archery, and rifle marksmanship, to name a few. He was also a member of the Bartlesville Lions Club, participating in many of their events; most notable is the work he did bringing the Carson and Barnes Circus to Bartlesville in 2007 as a fund-raising event for the Lions Club. Jeff received the "Melvin Jones Fellow" award from the Lions in recognition of his work for them. When Jeff lived in London, he was a member of the Royal British Legion; he was also a member of the American Legion and served as a member of their ceremonial team that performed military honors at the funerals for veterans. Jeff is survived by his daughter Laura Dick, her husband Gerard; his son Dean and his wife Karen; grandchildren Christopher Dick, Amelia Gordonwood and Adam Gordonwood; step-brother Jimmy Pendygraft and his wife Ella Mae; nephews Steve Pendygraft and Mike Pendygraft and niece Carla Pendygraft Boyle and her husband Greg. He was preceded in death by his wife Elizabeth, mother Bereniece Dawson Gordonwood Pendygraft, father Norman Percival Gordonwood, and brother John Gordonwood. Family will be present to greet friends on Friday from 10:00 AM-Noon in the Arnold Moore & Neekamp Funeral Home, 710 S. Dewey Ave. Services will be held on Friday at 2:00 PM in St. Luke's Episcopal Church, 210 E. 9th St., Bartlesville. Entombment will be in Memorial Park Cemetery following the service. Military rites will be accorded Mr. Gordonwood by the American Legion Honor Guard, Bartlesville. Arrangements are under the direction of the Arnold Moore & Neekamp Funeral Home. Online condolences may be left at www.honoringmemories.com.

Service Details

Friday, January 27th, 2017 2:00pm, St. Luke's Episcopal Church

Interment Details

Memorial Park Cemetery Bartlesville