Mary J. Gordon

Mary Judith Gordon was born on May 14, 1947, in Creston, Iowa, the daughter of William and Cecilia (Thompson) McLaughlin. She attended grade school in Creston and graduated from Creston High School with the Class of 1965. She then attended AIB in Des Moines, where she earned an associate degree in Business Administration.

On June 10, 1967, Mary was united in marriage to Emanuel T. “Manny” Gordon Sr. at St. Malachy Catholic Church in Creston. The couple lived in Des Moines and Adair before moving to Manning in 1982.

Her working years included serving as the activities director at the Adair Nursing Home and later providing cleaning services for local businesses in Manning.

Among her many interests, Mary especially enjoyed reading, playing cribbage and Boggle, and playing games with her children. She loved vegetable gardening and was an excellent cook, with her meatloaf, lasagna, and Italian dishes being family favorites. In recent years, she enjoyed watching NCIS. A cheerful person, she brought warmth and joy to those around her.

Mary passed away on Saturday, August 15, 2026, at Thomas Rest Haven in Coon Rapids, having attained the age of 79 years, three months, and one day.

In addition to her parents, William and Cecilia McLaughlin, she was preceded in death by her daughter, LouAnn Petersen; brother, Paul McLaughlin; and brother-in-law, Bruce Yochiem.

Left to cherish her memory are her husband, Manny Gordon; sons, Tom Gordon, John (Becky) Gordon, and Anthony Gordon (fiancé, Jen), all of Manning; six grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; son-in-law, Dennis Petersen of Adair; niece, Sarah (Jerry) Phipps; nephew, Luke McLaughlin; and other relatives and friends.

Visitation with family greeting friends will be held on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Ohde Funeral Home in Manning. A Funeral Liturgy will immediately follow at 2:00 p.m.