David W. Gordon remembered, laid to rest

TITUSVILLE-Funeral services with full military honors were conducted Friday morning for a soldier with familial ties to the Oil City area who was killed while on duty in Iraq.

Sgt. David W. Gordon, 23, of Williamsfield, Ohio, and Fort Hood, Texas, died after an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee during combat operations in Baghdad on Sept. 8.

Following the funeral, Sgt. Gordon was laid to rest in Grove Hill Cemetery, the same burial grounds as his maternal grandparents, Billie J. Cook and Shirley Kitelinger Cook. Mr. Cook was born in Pleasantville and grew up in Titusville, later moving to Oil City. At the time of his death in 1995, he lived at Spartansburg RD 2. Mrs. Cook, also a local native, died in 1990.

Although members of Sgt. Gordon's family were from the local area, he grew up in Ohio, the son of Rodney W. Gordon and Judy L. (Cook) Gordon.

He was married Aug. 9, 2005, to Kimber Zaun. In addition to his wife, he is survived by two stepsons; his mother and stepfather, Judy L. Gordon and Robert M. Fink Sr. of Williamsfield, Ohio; and his father and stepmother, Rodney W. Gordon and Cindy Taylor of Corry.

Viewing was held Wednesday evening in Andover, Ohio. His body was then escorted to Titusville by a brigade of Patriot Guard Riders-motorcycle aficionados, most of whom are military veterans, that attend funerals at the request of the family. Sgt. Gordon's grandfather, Howard Gordon, a member of the group, led the escort to the Garrett Funeral Home in Titusville where viewing was conducted Thursday evening.

A crisp fall day dawned on Friday as the family and friends of Sgt. Gordon gathered at the First Presbyterian Church to pay their last respects.

The sounds of a fall breeze rustling through the leaves of mature trees along North Franklin Street were the only interruption as the body of Sgt. Gordon was transferred into the church.

Military honor guard, trained pallbearers from the 99th Regiment Readiness Unit in Pittsburgh, lifted the casket from the hearse as a gauntlet of members from the Titusville VFW 5958 and auxiliary lined the entryway to the church.

Inside, a crowd of nearly 100 assembled for a final farewell to the 23-year-old man they knew as a father, a son, a friend and a devout Christian.

"We met at the church a few years ago before he went back to Iraq. He was a person of faith and we are fortunate to know today he is in heaven," said Tim Haidon of Kinsman, Ohio.

"It gives us peace, but we have lost a wonderful person. ... He was a normal kid. He was just a kid," said Tambra Haidon, also of Ohio.

The Haidon family wanted to support the family in their time of sorrow, but also said they wished to show support for the sacrifices of military families.

"It doesn't matter if you believe in the cause or not, it's still someone's baby that dies," said Tambra Haidon.

Lt. Col. Kenneth Schmidt, chaplain, officiated at the ceremony. Sgt. Gordon's wife, mother and father were the recipients of the Bronze Star and Purple Heart medals accorded to the deceased.

About 70 members of he Patriot Guard Riders, led by former Oil City resident Frank Dinger, now of Erie, stood holding flags as pallbearers returned the casket to the vehicle prior to departure for the cemetery in Oil City.

The PGR escorted the body to the Grove Hill Cemetery in Oil City where full military honors were also accorded.

Sgt. Gordon had been assigned to the Army's 3rd Battalion, 16th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, at Fort Hood. He was serving with a U.S. Army field artillery unit in Iraq at the time of his death.

From the Derrick

Related Link:
David W. Gordon