Obituary: Gordon, Luan Elizabeth

GORDON, Luan Elizabeth Luan Elizabeth Gordon, daughter of Vincent Harold Gordon and Grace Elizabeth Hartigan was born on February 21, 1932 and died January 21, 2015.

She is survived by her brother Jerry Gordon, S.J.

and her sister, Pat Gordon, F.S.P.A.

Luan Elizabeth Gordon was born in Spokane, WA and attended Marycliff High School where she was chosen to be a staff reporter on the Marycliff News.

Recognizing Luan’s creative talent, Nellie Baldwin Rudser, a member of the Washington State Poetry Association, invited her to be a poetry scribe.

Luan’s first poem, Solitude, was published with honors by the National High School Poetry Association and yearly anthologies included her poetry; she still treasures an affirming critique on a contest poem from Nellie Baldwin Rudser dated 1948.

Luan’s poetry has appeared in American Poetry Anthology, 1982, Catholic Miss, Contemplative Review, Long Beach Review, Way of St. Francis, and most creatively a-top birthday cakes and in greeting cards.

A collection of Luan Elizabeth Gordon’s poetry entitled : “The Work of Your Hands,” was displayed in the Performing Arts Department of the Long Beach Public Library, California with the biblical text at the heart of all her poetry: We are the clay and you the potter We are all the work of your hands Isaiah 64,7 Luan received her undergraduate education and earned her first graduate degrees at Immaculate Heart College, Los Angeles, CA, receiving the B.A.

in 1965, the M.A.

in Library Science in 1966, and in 1977, the M.A.

in Theology from St. Mary’s College, Moraga, CA.

Luan was an avid reader, librarian, and creative writer who lived in a neighborhood with very active and creative children whose parents believe in time sharing, children, not condos.

Children from all ages have appeared at Luan’s back door asking eagerly, “Can you play?”

“Play-time” is sharing reading, listening, writing and crafts together under the collective name, Thumbprints, as each child is as unique as his/her thumbprint.

Thanksgiving We end, stabbed and drained as withered yesterdays, made threadbare by the passing time; Faded and colorless, a forgotten rainbow hue.

But you bestow a graceful loveliness… Threads of golden memories.

The beginning; still there when we end.

We end, simply, s-t-i-t-c-h-e-d in your presence.

Luan Elizabeth Gordon Funeral services will be Tuesday, January 27, 2015 at 11am and will take place at Holy Cross Funeral Center Chapel, 7200 N. Wall St., Spokane, WA with committal to follow in Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery.

Donations for Masses may be sent to The Jesuit House at Gonzaga University.

Arrangements have been entrusted to: