Gordon Paul Hurd

Gordon was born on October 2, 1931 in Muscatine, Iowa and grew up in Sioux City, Iowa. He attended Iowa State University and went on to obtain an MBA from Xavier University. Gordon married his college sweetheart, Betty Jean Lyman, on January 1, 1955. They set up residence in Cincinnati, Ohio and had 2 daughters, Diane and Susan.

Gordon started his career in Cincinnati working for the Aircraft Engine Division at General Electric, but soon answered JFK’s call to get a man to the moon, and moved his family to Houston, Texas. While working for GE as support for NASA and the Apollo Program, Gordon oversaw the evaluation of the Crew Environmental Control systems on the Apollo Command Module and Lunar Module.

After the Apollo Program concluded, Gordon returned to Cincinnati and GE’s Aircraft Engine Division, where he worked with the US Air Force, developing engines for several of their aircraft including the F15 and the F16. In short, he was literally a rocket scientist!

Gordon is preceded in death by Betty, his wife of 48 years.

He is survived by his daughter, Diane Sloniger, her husband Bud, and their 3 children Lindsey, David, and Paul and his wife Jocelyn. He is also survived by his daughter Susan Ezell, and her husband, Jeff.

Gordon will be remembered fondly for his service work and his many volunteer activities in his church and community. He was loved for his devotion to family, his dry sense of humor, his wisdom, his intelligence, and his need for speed, whether on land, sea, air or space.

Visitation will be held from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Friday, August 30th, 2013 at Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Funeral Home.

His graveside service will be held at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, August 31, 2013 at Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Memorial Park in Oak Hill, Texas. A Celebration of Life Service will follow at 11:30 a.m. at Mt. Olive Lutheran Church located at 10408 Hwy. 290 West with Pastor Paul Meyer to officiate.