Gorden Threlfall, 59, went home to the Lord on Sunday, April 29, 2012. Gorden was born to Robert and Helen (Gorden) Threlfall on Sept. 20, 1952 in Farmington, Maine. One of his most cherished memories was spending his summers in Maine with his grandparents, Walter and Mary (Pulsifer) Gorden, helping with the family’s lumber business in Livermore Falls.
Gorden received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, Ill. and his MBA from Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Ill. He was active in ROTC and served in the U.S. Army Special Forces in Vietnam. Military service was a tradition in the family for generations. He was very proud that his children continued this tradition, all of them having served their country.
Gorden enjoyed his work as a financial advisor and certified financial planner at Wells Fargo Advisors. He loved saying that he was in charge of luggage.
“You know, “ he’d say, “how some people retire and spend the rest of their lives in a chair in front of the television all day while others can afford to travel to the places they’ve always wanted to see? Well, it’s my job to make sure they need the luggage.”
He took great pleasure in knowing that he had alleviated a person’s fears for their retirement future and often remarked how grateful he was that God had allowed him the opportunity to work in a field where he could use his gifts to help others.
Helping others did not stop with his job, however. As an active member and current president of the Tryon Rotary Club, Gorden was passionate about the Rotary mission to eradicate polio from the face of the earth, about their clean water projects and about the orphanage for girls in Mexico that his club helped to support. Gorden had a strong passion for Jesus Christ and served as head elder for his church, Trinity Lutheran, and took seriously his responsibility to pray for and to help fellow members. His compassion for others had no limit.
Mr. Threlfall is survived by his wife, Julie, and their three children, Grant Threlfall, Heidi Webster and Michael Moyers; his sisters, Joan Hill of Illinois and Laura Irvine of Virginia; four grandchildren, Gorden Thomas Threlfall, Kyleigh Threlfall, Sarah Webster and Anah Webster, with Bridget Moyers expected in June; two nieces, four nephews and two great-nieces.
A viewing will be held on Thursday, May 4 from 5 – 8 p.m. at Shuler Funeral Home in Hendersonville. There will be a visitation at Trinity Lutheran Church on Hwy. 176, Tryon, beginning at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, May 5, followed by the service at 11 a.m. Pastor Thomas Olson will be officiating, with Gilbert Eliason assisting. Burial will take place at Western Carolina State Veteran’s Cemetery, 962 Old U.S. Hwy. 70, Black Mountain, N.C. 28711 on Monday, May 8 at 2 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Camp Eagle Rock, P.O. Box 1154, Marion, N.C. 28752. Camp Eagle Rock is an organization designed to help soldiers who are suffering from PTSD, another need that was near and dear to his heart, and will be dedicated to Gorden by Rotary International District 7670.
To sign the online register book, please visit www.shulerfuneralhome.com. Shuler Funeral Home is assisting the family.