Gordon Amble, 88, of Glenwood, died on Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, at the Glenwood Retirement Village.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 19, at Glenwood Lutheran Church in Glenwood with Rev. Mark Manning officiating. The funeral will be livestreamed at glenwoodlutheran.com. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will be in the Glenwood Lutheran Cemetery in Glenwood.

Gordon Halverson Amble was born on Sept. 19, 1936, in Red Cedar, Wis., to Garfield “Pop” and Sigrund “Mardy” (Lund) Halverson. Gordon’s early years were shaped by the loving hands of his foster parents, Morton and Blenda (Olson) Amble who were close friends of his birth parents. Morten and Blenda raised him from infancy with his birth mother suffering from a long term illness and unable to care for him. He was raised in western Wisconsin where he was a proud graduate of Colfax High School in 1954.

Gordon entered the United States Air Force in 1955 where he served his country serving in Greenland and in Tucson, Ariz., on Davis-Monthan AFB. While stationed in Tucson, he attended Calgary Lutheran Church and as a member of the church choir he sang with Joseph and Sunny Meehan, their fondness of Gordy whom they would invite to their home for Sunday dinners would lead to Gordy’s introduction to their daughter, Margaret Anne Meehan. On Sept. 28, 1960, Gordon and Margaret Anne would be united in marriage in Tucson, Ariz. This marriage was blessed with three children, Marcus Jonathan, Joseph Morton and Blenda Agnes Amble.

Gordon’s professional life started at the Univac Corp. in Minneapolis in business administration. On a chance encounter when Gordon was conducting church business at the American Lutheran Church Headquarters in Minneapolis, he met a gentleman, a nursing home administrator from Ottawa, Ill. This chance encounter would lead Gordon in a new direction in life and to his true calling, business administration for the care of the elderly. In 1970 Gordon and family moved to Glenwood where he would assume the duties as the Administrator of the Glenwood Nursing Home and guide its growth into becoming what is now the Glenwood Retirement Village.

His professional life was defined by his significant contributions to the Glenwood Retirement Village, which he transformed from a modest establishment into a flourishing center for senior care. His dedication to the well-being of the elderly was further exemplified through his role in the Minnesota nursing home community as well as on the national level where he played pivotal role’s working with local, state and national lawmakers in passing legislation to enhance and protect nursing homes.

On Dec. 15, 1979, Gordon was united in marriage to Geraldine Olson. Geraldine was a childhood friend of Gordon’s sister Shirley. It was Shirley’s introduction of her childhood friend Geraldine to her brother that would lead to nearly 45 years of love and the blending of two beautiful families.

After retiring in 1998, Gordon, alongside Geri, enjoyed traveling and wintering in Mercedes, Texas, where he also shared his love for gospel music as a member of the Senior Ambassadors singing group. His unwavering faith was evident in his active participation at Glenwood Lutheran Church, where he nurtured his spiritual life and served his community.

Gordon’s passion extended to the equestrian world as a member of the American Saddle Horse Association. His journey began with showing horses, evolved into judging at horse shows and culminated in his esteemed position as a ringmaster at the national level in horse shows. Gordon’s interests were a reflection of his zest for life; he enjoyed golfing, traveling and most importantly, spending precious time with his family and friends.

Gordon is lovingly remembered by his wife, Geraldine Amble of Glenwood; son, Marcus (Verlee) Amble of Glenwood; daughter, Blenda (Scott) Lambutis of Elbow Lake; step-sons, Rick (Cheryl) Olson and David (Brenda) Olson; along with a legacy of 12 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Garfield and Sigrund Halverson and Morten and Blenda Amble; his son, Joseph Amble; sister, Shirley Whitney; brother, Elton Halverson; an infant sister, Glenora; a granddaughter, Lauren Margaret Amble; and grandson, Matthew Olson.

Arrangements are with the Hoplin-Hitchcock Funeral Home in Glenwood. To send online condolences, visit hoplinhitchcockfuneralhome.com.