Louann Gordon Obituary (1926 - 2019)

Louann Z. Gordon, age 93, of Topsham Maine, passed away peacefully Monday July 22nd at Mid Coast Hospital in Brunswick. Louann was born in Dowagiac, Michigan on June 27, 1926 to Lysle Zelner and Irene Myrkle Zelner. She lived in Dowagiac until she entered college at Boston University, majoring in physical education and special education. It was in Boston, one of her favorite cities, that she tasted lobster for the first time and loved cracking and eating it drenched in butter. Louann graduated from college in 1948 and began working toward a Masters’ degree at Ohio State University. Here she met her husband, Paul Gordon, who was majoring in physics. They married the next year on June 11, 1949. While Paul finished school, Louann had their first two children, Lysle and Jill. In 1958 they relocated to Big Flats, New York where their third child Susan was born and where Paul was employed by Corning Glass Works and Louann taught physical education in Horseheads. In 1965, the family moved to Fairport New York, where Paul was employed by Kodak and Xerox and Louann taught special education at BOCES. Family trips consisted of visiting family in Michigan and Ohio and educational vacations to Boston, Philadelphia, Niagara Falls and Quebec. After Susan graduated from high school, Paul and Louann bought a farm in Sodus and began an apple orchard. They also had a camp at Duck Lake, where family would gather in the summer for vacations. Louann retired from teaching in 1984 and began supervising the running of the apple orchard. One of their many trips abroad included six weeks in Australia and New Zealand touring apple orchards. Upon Paul’s retirement, they sold the farm and moved to Ontario. Upon Paul’s death in 2000, Louann moved to Ithaca. During this time, her daughter Jill died. For years she lived independently, hosting annual family vacations with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Eventually, Louann moved to Kendal, an adult facility, until the death of her son Lysle. In 2018, Louann moved to The Highlands in Topsham Maine to be close to her daughter Susan and was able to experience pulling lobster traps and eating fresh lobster. Louann enjoyed fishing, gardening, reading and playing mahjonng. She is predeceased by her husband Paul, son Lysle, and daughter Jill. Louann is survived by her daughter Susan Springer and her husband Kevin Dow of Harpswell Maine, a granddaughter Cristine Allelo and husband Vince with two great-grandchildren, Irene and Joseph of Penfield New York, grandson Mark Springer of West Virginia, great-grandson Ryan Springer of Somerset Massachusetts and daughter-in-law Eileen Berlow of Ithaca, widow of Lysle. There will be no services. Memorial donations may be made to Coastal Humane Society, 190 Pleasant Street, Brunswick Maine 04011. Arrangements were by Stetson’s Funeral Home 12 Federal St., Brunswick, ME 04011 where memorial condolences may be expressed at stetsonsfuneralhome.com