Gordon Walfred Westlind

The Tri-City area has lost a favorite son.  Rev. Gordon W. Westlind returned to his heavenly rest on Sunday January 24, 2021. He was aged 98 years.

Gordon, known affectionately by so many as “Pastor Gordy,” was born 10-3-22 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The son of a minister, Rev. Walfred Olaf Westlind, he travelled to Tacoma and Chicago before ending up in Turlock, California in 1934.

Graduating from Turlock High School in 1940, Gordy went to work at Castle Air Force Base as an assembler of military aircraft. When WWII broke out, he was enlisted as a Propeller specialist and served in the 13^th Air Force of the Army Air Corps in the South Pacific from 1942-1945 reaching the rank of Tech Sergeant.

Returning stateside, Gordon married and was graduated from SF State with a BA in Philosophy and attended Prairie Bible Institute in Alberta, Canada. He then sought his masters of Divinity from North Park Theological Seminary in Chicago, Illinois. He and his wife, Patricia Spong from Oakland, Calif were ordained and commissioned for 8 years of missionary service in Ecuador from 1957-1965. They returned and settled in Fremont, Calif in 1965.

Gordon worked at Best Blocks of Union City for 7 years before returning to a pastorate at Centerville Presbyterian Church.  He served as Associate Pastor there from 1973 to 2012. He retired at the golden age of 90. Gordon was one of the founding members of the Centerville Free Dining Room.

Gordon was preceded in death by his sisters, Hildur Westlind Carter and Evelyn Westlind Fulmer.  He is survived by his wife of 72 years, Patricia Westlind and their children, Rev. Mark Westlind, Marcia West, Robert Westlind, and Tami Simbra. Grandchildren: Nate West, Zac West, Nils Westlind, Natalia Westlind, Nicole Orgaz, Rachael Simbra, Tanya Simbra. Great grandchild Cedar West.

A memorial service will be held at the Bay Area Baptist Church on February 20, 2021 at 1100am with interment at the little white church pioneer cemetery immediately following.  Due to pandemic restrictions, only family will be in attendance. The service will be recorded and “live-streamed” in collaboration with Bay Area Baptist and Centerville Presbyterian Church.

Peace to his memory

Here is the Zoom link for the service:

Centerville Presbyterian is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Memorial Service-Gordon Westlind
Time: Feb 20, 2021 11:00 AM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

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https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86429010329

Meeting ID: 864 2901 0329
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