1943
Gordon
2005
Gordon Delgehausen
October 28, 1943 — September 26, 2005
The morning of October 28, 1943 turned out to be an exciting one in the Delgehausen home. Gordon Leroy Delgehausen was the 3rd son born to Art and Elda Delgehausen. Although mom and dad were expecting a little girl, everyone fell in love with Gordie and he was welcomed with open arms.
He was baptized and confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church in Ortonville, the church that would become his home during his entire life. He, like his brothers, was nurtured by his mom and did. At an early age he attended Sunday school regularly and began participating in programs involving the youth. This nurturing was the foundation for his love for his church and the Christian principles that he would live by all his life.
As he grew older he loved visiting the aunts and uncles who lived on the farms. At an early age his mother would take him pheasant hunting each fall and the two of them built bird houses by the dozens. His great love for nature and wildlife continued to grow. It was not unusual for him to bring an orphan squirrel or rabbit into the house and bottle feed it until it could be released into the wild.
He attended Ortonville Public Schools and graduated in 1963. During his high school years he developed into one of the best wrestlers ever to attend OHS. In his senior year he was named most valuable wrestler and he advanced to the state meet twice.
Having the need to serve his country, he joined the Minnesota National Guard in Ortonville. He attended basic training at Fort Leonard and advanced individual training at Fort Sill. He served for seven years.
Over the years he developed his hunting and fishing skills. He was competitive not only as a trap shooter but also excelled with the Bow and Arrow, generally placing high in competition. He loved his fishing trips to Canada. He would come home talking about the great fishing or a light snow fall that would reveal bear tracks around his tent. In recent years he loved to go out west prairie dog hunting. Even near the end of his long fight with cancer, his daughter and son in law brightened his life with three trips.
Since the age of 37, Gordie struggled with one health issue or another. Heart and circulation problems compounded his long battle with cancer. In 1994 his son, Mike, lost his life in an automobile accident. The faith that he developed as a child became his armor that not only gave him the strength to continue work but also provided him an opportunity to help other people. This took the form of setting an example to sharing his faith with prisoners at the prison in Appleton.
His sense of humor was ever present. Many times his funniest moments were just before or after surgery. His love of people was ever present in that he always took the opportunity to visit with or joke with a total stranger. To him there were no strangers. They were all friends.
In spite of living with serious health problems for nearly 35 years, he lived life to the fullest and touched the lives of all those with whom he associated in such positive ways. Throughout this time he exhibited a work ethic that would be the envy of any employer. He loved his job. He loved his family and he loved life.
Thank God for giving us Gordie!
He was baptized and confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church in Ortonville, the church that would become his home during his entire life. He, like his brothers, was nurtured by his mom and did. At an early age he attended Sunday school regularly and began participating in programs involving the youth. This nurturing was the foundation for his love for his church and the Christian principles that he would live by all his life.
As he grew older he loved visiting the aunts and uncles who lived on the farms. At an early age his mother would take him pheasant hunting each fall and the two of them built bird houses by the dozens. His great love for nature and wildlife continued to grow. It was not unusual for him to bring an orphan squirrel or rabbit into the house and bottle feed it until it could be released into the wild.
He attended Ortonville Public Schools and graduated in 1963. During his high school years he developed into one of the best wrestlers ever to attend OHS. In his senior year he was named most valuable wrestler and he advanced to the state meet twice.
Having the need to serve his country, he joined the Minnesota National Guard in Ortonville. He attended basic training at Fort Leonard and advanced individual training at Fort Sill. He served for seven years.
Over the years he developed his hunting and fishing skills. He was competitive not only as a trap shooter but also excelled with the Bow and Arrow, generally placing high in competition. He loved his fishing trips to Canada. He would come home talking about the great fishing or a light snow fall that would reveal bear tracks around his tent. In recent years he loved to go out west prairie dog hunting. Even near the end of his long fight with cancer, his daughter and son in law brightened his life with three trips.
Since the age of 37, Gordie struggled with one health issue or another. Heart and circulation problems compounded his long battle with cancer. In 1994 his son, Mike, lost his life in an automobile accident. The faith that he developed as a child became his armor that not only gave him the strength to continue work but also provided him an opportunity to help other people. This took the form of setting an example to sharing his faith with prisoners at the prison in Appleton.
His sense of humor was ever present. Many times his funniest moments were just before or after surgery. His love of people was ever present in that he always took the opportunity to visit with or joke with a total stranger. To him there were no strangers. They were all friends.
In spite of living with serious health problems for nearly 35 years, he lived life to the fullest and touched the lives of all those with whom he associated in such positive ways. Throughout this time he exhibited a work ethic that would be the envy of any employer. He loved his job. He loved his family and he loved life.
Thank God for giving us Gordie!