Joy Ann Gordon

Mrs. Gordon was born on April 19, 1926 in Wheaton, Illinois, daughter of Carl J. Megel and Marian Elizabeth Stewart. She had one younger brother, Don. During childhood the family moved to Chicago, where Joy graduated from high school in the middle of World War II. Following graduation, she worked as a switchboard operator for the Railroad Retirement Board where she watched the young soldiers and sailors returning from the war. She was a beautiful woman who loved dancing and met her first husband, Carl Wirth at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago. They were married in 1945 and had two children, Linda Joy and James Carl.

In April, 1956, she married Jacob (Jake) Wesley Gordon, and they had one daughter, Kathy Ann. The family moved to Florida in 1961, finally settling in Orlando in 1963. She devoted her life to raising her children and helping with her grandchildren. She loved poetry and could always be counted on to write a beautiful poem for all special family occasions.

She is preceded in death by her son and husband, and is survived by her daughters, Linda Joy Wirth and Kathy Ann Swanson and her husband, Dr. Mark Swanson; seven grandchildren, Melissa, Mindie, Brent, Heather and Brent’s wife Marie, Ryan Albert and his wife Kim, Kathryn Swanson and her husband Derrick Layer, and Tyler Swanson; and nine great grandchildren, Olivia, Luke Noelle, Jaden, Anthony, Brendan, Caitlin, Audrey and Weston.

A private graveside service will be held at Woodlawn Memorial Park.