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Lois Shethar was born on January 13, 1924, in Rye, New York, her father, John, was 31, and her mother, Gwendolen, was 34. She had one brother and two sisters. She died on April 22, 2013, in Buffalo, Wyoming, at the age of 89. In Rye her family lived on Stuyvesant Avenue. Lois served as an officer in the U.S. Navy during World War II.
Lois Shethar
Lois Shethar in Naval School
Lois Shethar, 20, Milton Point, Rye, was enrolled recently at the Naval Training School Yeomen-W on the Iowa State Teachers College campus. Cedar Falls, Iowa. The course of yeoman study includes shorthand, typing, Naval correspondence, records and forms, and current events.
RYE CHRONICLE Friday, October 27. 1944
Lois (Loie) Shethar Gordon was a proud member of the ''Greatest Generation''. She was born in NewYork City, January 13th, 1924 to John and Gwendolen Shethar.
Growing up in Rye, New York, Loie was a competitive athlete throughout her life. At various points, she played tennis in the National Clay Court Championships against Althea Gibson and served as a winning crew member in several successful North American sailing championships. She also rode in various top level horse shows, including Madison Square Garden in New York City.
After graduating from Miss Porter's School in Farmington, CT, Loie felt called to duty as were so many and, in 1944, enlisted in the United States Navy Waves. After training, she was stationed at the Sand Point Naval Air Station in Washington State. She received her honorable discharge from the Waves in 1946 and proudly carried her discharge card for years.
She then worked for the fledgling United Nations until her 1948 marriage to Spencer M. Smith and subsequent move to Oregon. Several moves later and with her son, Spencer, and daughter, Pamela, Loie was back on the East Coast, where she was active in the Episcopal Church, Junior League and Rye Historical Society. Retirement led to summers on Cape Cod and winters in Tucson. After a decade of ''lonely years'', Loie and Crawford (Crow) Gordon fell in love. Crow and Loie were married in 1998 and have resided ever since at the Gordon Ranch near Kaycee, Wy, where she grew to love the life, the land and, particularly, the people.
Loie leaves behind a legacy of love, respect and an active life lived with dignity. Her children and family will sorely miss her and reluctantly relinquish her to the Almighty.
She cherished a verse taken from a Prayer of a Wave: I have then but to thank you. I cannot ask for more. Thank you for our country, for our people free and brave. And make me ever worthy, Lord, to be a Navy Wave.
Loie is survived by her husband Crow Gordon of Kaycee; one son, Spencer Smith and his wife Patricia of Seattle, Washington; one daughter, Pam Jackson of Tucson, Arizona; 1 step-son Mark Gordon and his wife Jennie of Buffalo; one step-daughter Val Gordon-Johnson and her husband Doug of New York, New York; three grandsons, Grant Smith of Spokane, Washington, Dr. Marc Smith of Montpellier, France and Alex Smith of Seattle; two step-granddaughters, Ann Gordon of New York, New York and Bea Gordon of Buffalo; and two step-grandsons, Spencer Young of Buffalo and Aaron Young also of Buffalo. She was preceded in death by her parents; one son-in-law Dr. Rockwell Jackson; two sisters and one brother. Her children, Spencer (Pat), Pamela, Mark (Jennie), Valerie (Doug) and grandchildren wish to thank the wonderful crew of the Gordon Ranch, her many dear Kaycee friends and unfailingly supportive caregivers.
Funeral Services for Loie Gordon, 89 year old Kaycee resident who passed away Friday afternoon at the Johnson County Health Care Center in Buffalo, will be held Friday, April 26th at 11:00 a.m. from the Harold Jarrard Park Building in Kaycee with Reverend Carole Buckingham officiating. A private family Eucharist will be held earlier that day at the Episcopal Church in Kaycee. A reception will follow the funeral at the Harold Jarrard Park Building. Interment will be in the Greenwood Union Cemetery in Rye, New York. Donations in Mrs. Gordon's memory may be made to the Hoof Prints of the Past Museum, the Kaycee Library or the Suzie Bowling Lawrence Hospice, in care of the Harness Funeral Home at 351 N. Adams in Buffalo.
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