Verna Gorg

Verna Helen Heineken Gorg Linnell, age 93 passed away on September 20, 2024 of heart failure, in Yorba Linda, California. She was born November 21, 1930, on a farm near Valley Falls, Jefferson County, Kansas. She was the third child of Harry Lewelling Heineken and Amanda Alice Lewis Heineken. Because of the 1930’s depression, when she was about age 10, the family settled in Inglewood near Los Angeles, California, where she graduated from Inglewood High School in 1948.

Verna’s interest was in secretarial work and she started working with shorthand and typing at age 17 for attorney’s Glenn B. Martineau and Richard Heaton while attending Woodbury College in downtown Los Angeles. It is now a university in Burbank, California. She graduated from college in 1950 and worked as a secretary at Northrup Aviation near Inglewood until she started a family. In 1970-3 Verna worked as secretary at the LDS Institute of Religion for Fullerton Community College.

She was married to Donald Galen Gorg of Hollywood, California, March 18, 1951 in the Methodist Church in Inglewood, California. They had 3 children, Gail Lorie Gorg (Mark) Roberts, Fairfax, Virginia; Michael Aaron Gorg, Fullerton, California; and Rebecca Lyn Gorg (Brent) Money, Yorba Linda, California.

In August 1954 Donald and Verna joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and were sealed in the Logan, Utah Temple November 18, 1955. She served the rest of her life in many calling for the church including serving with Don an LDS mission as Office Couple in 1989-90 for the Connecticut Hartford Mission, and in 1995-6 as live at home Missionaries for the LDS California Anaheim Mission. They also served in the LDS Los Angeles Temple for many years.

The couple traveled extensively and had a passion for Family History research which was the target of much of their travels until Don developed ALS and then she cared for him at home for many years. He passed away after 53 years of marriage in August 2004

The Gorg and Linnell families both moved to Fullerton, CA and met at church in 1963. After Don and (William) Lee Linnell’s wife Emily passed away, they decided to marry April 29, 2006 and Verna moved to St. George, Utah. From 2006-2008 Lee and Verna served an LDS Mission while living at home as the Transient Bishop and companion. Around 2018 Lee Linnell started developing dementia and in 2022 they moved back to Southern California to be closer to family. Then after 17 years of marriage, Lee passed away at age 96 in January 2024.

Verna is survived by her 3 children, 2 Son’s in law, 9 grandchildren and 33 great grandchildren, two step children, Lori Linnell (Dirk) Brinkerhoff, Little Elm, Texas and Scott Linnell, Fullerton, California, 5 step grandchildren and 22 step great grandchildren. She is pre-deceased by her parents, husbands, brother, Leroy Elbert Heineken; sister, Fern Allene Heineken Conder; and step daughter, Susan Linnell.

Verna’s Celebration of Life service will be held at gravesite (Per her request) in Loma Vista Cemetery, Fullerton, CA on Oct. 5 at 11:30am

In lieu of flowers, Verna requested donations be made to: The LDS Humanitarian Aid Fund- https://philanthropies.churchofjesuschrist.org/humanitarian-services or The Orange County chapter of the ALS Association -https://secure2.convio.net/alsa/site/Donation2?df_id=34700&34700.donation=form1 ([email protected])