Home > United States of America > Kansas > Douglas County > Clinton > Clinton Cemetery > Mary Alice Demeritt Gordon

Mary Alice Demeritt Gordon

Birth	:	12 Nov 1934 Lawrence, Douglas County, Kansas, USA
Death	:	29 Nov 2019 Fort Collins, Larimer County, Colorado, USA
Burial	:	Clinton Cemetery, Clinton, Douglas County, USA
Coordinate	:	38.9136009, -95.4105988
Description	:	Mary Alice Gordon, 85, died on November 29th, 2019. She traveled from Lawrence, KS to Fort Collins, CO with her daughter that day, arriving in time to watch her grandson-in-law bake a pie for a Saturday Thanksgiving Feast. Mary experienced a stroke a few hours later, and passed peacefully that night, surrounded by her family. Mary, known to her grandkids (both biological and not) as “Gamby,” was born to Leslie and Florence Demeritt on November 12, 1934, in Lawrence, KS. She lived in a farmhouse that didn’t have running water or electricity until she was 14 years old. Growing... Read More	Mary Alice Gordon, 85, died on November 29th, 2019. She traveled from Lawrence, KS to Fort Collins, CO with her daughter that day, arriving in time to watch her grandson-in-law bake a pie for a Saturday Thanksgiving Feast. Mary experienced a stroke a few hours later, and passed peacefully that night, surrounded by her family. Mary, known to her grandkids (both biological and not) as “Gamby,” was born to Leslie and Florence Demeritt on November 12, 1934, in Lawrence, KS. She lived in a farmhouse that didn’t have running water or electricity until she was 14 years old. Growing up, she was athletic and was a softball pitcher for the town of Clinton and eventually played basketball while at University of Kansas. In 1955, she married Charles Gordon, principal of then-known Central Junior High, gaining two young step-daughters, Kathy and Mary. She had her daughter, Lori, in 1957. She and Charles divorced in 1962, though she maintained close relationships with her step-daughters throughout her life. Aside from 4 years spent in California, she spent her entire life in Lawrence, KS. Mary graduated from the University of Kansas with a B.S in Physical Education and taught at Central Junior High and Haskell University and later obtained an M.S. in Education from KU. She earned certification in Special Education for Visual Impairment from the University of Northern Colorado. She became a teacher for blind and visually impaired students of the Lawrence Public School District, working in multiple schools and teaching summer school for the blind from her own home. Being a student of Mary Gordon’s didn’t end with graduation, as she taught most of her students from pre-school through adulthood. Her kids learned how to be successful in every subject they took and every interest they had, while also absorbing extensive life skills along the way. She began coordinating with the BOLD program (Blind Outdoor Leisure Development) for blind and visually impaired individuals. For 20 consecutive years, she raised funds from various community groups to make these ski trips to Aspen by school bus a reality. They included students from both Kansas and Missouri school districts. While working as a full-time teacher, she also became the President of the Association for Education and Rehabilitation for Blind and Visually Impaired, as well as President for the Lawrence Teacher’s Association. She was a member of the Clinton Lake Historical Society, Phi Delta Kappa, Delta Kappa Gamma, the Lawrence Education Association, Mortar Board Alumna, Daughters of American Revolution, K-NEA, and life member of NEA. In 1988, she received the Kansas Special Educator of the Year Award. In 1993, she earned the Kansas Master Teacher Award from Emporia State University, as well as the Outstanding Educators Award from the University of Kansas. In 2003, she was inducted into the Lawrence High School Hall of Honor (She’d be the first to tell you she was inducted in 2003 along with Danny Manning). Following her retirement in 1999, Mary continued to dedicate her life to serve others. She became a director of the Lawrence Lions Club, an international organization dedicated to bettering the lives of blind and visually impaired individuals through community outreach. She worked as a volunteer for Lawrence Memorial Hospital and was previously on the board for the Visiting Nurses Association of Lawrence. In an unofficial capacity, she dedicated her efforts in fundraising and providing for the needs of her former students. Being a student of Mary Gordon meant being her student for life. Mary was an adoptive mother and grandmother to many. She loved her Jayhawks, and proudly showed it with a wardrobe that was almost completely red and royal blue. She couldn’t go to a restaurant without seeing an old friend, and almost just as frequently, making a new one. She was often late, but it was usually because she was chatting with an old student on the phone or filling her bird feeder at the last minute. She planted her garden to be a perfect habitat for monarch butterflies. Although Mary spent her whole life in Lawrence, KS, she loved exploring new places and cultures, including China, Egypt, Turkey, Costa Rica, Netherlands, Greece, and even above the Arctic Circle. She loved her family, friends and the Lawrence community with all of her heart. She was always genuinely happy to see you and you felt loved when you were with her. She would’ve been glad to know that she went quickly, without a fuss, and with her loved ones holding her. Mary was predeceased by her parents Leslie and Florence Demeritt, her brother Leslie “Laddie” Demeritt, and brother-in-law Robert “Bob” Parker. She is survived by her daughter Lori Tilson and son-in-law Wayne Tilson, step-daughter and son-in-law Mary and Dale Mitchell, step-daughter Kathy Gordon, grandchildren Joe Heacock, Megan Gleeson (husband Sam), Scott Mitchell (wife Lorena) and Kristen Hase (husband Chris), and sister Martha Parker. She also leaves 5 great-grandchildren (Juli, Ian, Ava, Alex, and Noah), and many nieces and nephews. A visitation will be held from 5:00-7:00pm Thursday, December 5th at Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home. On Friday, December 6th, a brief graveside service will be held at 11:30am at Clinton Cemetery, followed by a Celebration of Life service at 3:00pm at the Lawrence First Presbyterian Church with a reception to follow.

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is Mary Alice Demeritt Gordon's memorial?
Mary Alice Demeritt Gordon's memorial is located at: Clinton Cemetery, Clinton, Douglas County, USA.
When did Mary Alice Demeritt Gordon death?
Mary Alice Demeritt Gordon death on 29 Nov 2019 in Fort Collins, Larimer County, Colorado, USA
Where are the coordinates of the Mary Alice Demeritt Gordon's memorial?
Latitude: 38.9136009
Longitude: -95.4105988

Family Members:

Parent

Leslie Johnson Demeritt

(1888 - 1972)

Florence Elizabeth Claxton Demeritt

(1900 - 1978)

Siblings

Ruth Elizabeth Demeritt

(1924 - 1925)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. Clinton Cemetery
Clinton, Douglas County, USA
Coordinate: 38.9136009, -95.4105988

2. Jones Cemetery
Lawrence, Douglas County, USA
Coordinate: 38.8936950, -95.3620840

3. Mound View Cemetery
Stull, Douglas County, USA
Coordinate: 38.9425011, -95.4558029

4. Johnson Cemetery
Douglas County, USA
Coordinate: 38.8857700, -95.3545300

5. Stull Cemetery
Stull, Douglas County, USA
Coordinate: 38.9714203, -95.4546204

6. Riggs Family Cemetery
Clinton, Douglas County, USA
Coordinate: 38.8949300, -95.4978100

7. Twin Mound Cemetery
Clinton, Douglas County, USA
Coordinate: 38.8692017, -95.4819031

8. Rock Creek Cemetery
Douglas County, USA
Coordinate: 38.8488998, -95.4561005

9. Corpus Christi Catholic Church Columbarium
Lawrence, Douglas County, USA
Coordinate: 38.9572250, -95.3238450

10. Washington Creek Cemetery
Lone Star, Douglas County, USA
Coordinate: 38.8273800, -95.3997900

11. Richland Cemetery
Richland, Shawnee County, USA
Coordinate: 38.8767014, -95.5196991

12. Boles Cemetery
Shawnee County, USA
Coordinate: 38.8798400, -95.5307200

13. Colyer Cemetery
Worden, Douglas County, USA
Coordinate: 38.8189011, -95.3625031

14. Dutton Cemetery
Douglas County, USA
Coordinate: 38.8989800, -95.2790600

15. Lyon Family Cemetery
Lawrence, Douglas County, USA
Coordinate: 38.9877440, -95.3166530

16. Borrowed Light Memorial Park
Lecompton, Douglas County, USA
Coordinate: 39.0246200, -95.4101100

17. Williams Cemetery
Willow Springs Township, Douglas County, USA
Coordinate: 38.8188460, -95.3354070

18. Davis Cemetery
Lawrence, Douglas County, USA
Coordinate: 38.9722500, -95.2831100

19. First Presbyterian Church Memorial Garden
Lawrence, Douglas County, USA
Coordinate: 38.9414900, -95.2641600

20. Pleasant Hill Cemetery
Pleasant Grove, Douglas County, USA
Coordinate: 38.8535995, -95.2794037

21. Saint Peters Cemetery
Lecompton, Douglas County, USA
Coordinate: 39.0139885, -95.4941635

22. Richland Cemetery
Lawrence, Douglas County, USA
Coordinate: 38.8768997, -95.2630997

23. Pioneer Cemetery
Lawrence, Douglas County, USA
Coordinate: 38.9528008, -95.2611008

24. Eastview Cemetery
Big Springs, Douglas County, USA
Coordinate: 39.0222015, -95.4858475