Gordon M Bartage

SHREVEPORT, LA - Services for Gordon M. Bartage, 87, will be held at First United Methodist Church of Shreveport at 2:00 p.m., Thursday, May 6, 2010. Officiating will be Dr. Pat Day. There will be a subsequent graveside service for the family at Forest Park West Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Rose-Neath Marshall Street Funeral Home on Wednesday, May 5, 2010.

Gordon M. Bartage was born in Farmington, Illinois on May 18, 1922. His father was a coal miner and his mother worked as a cook and waitress. He spent his formative years growing up in South Bend, Indiana. He developed sales skills at an early age by enrolling the most new subscribers to the South Bend Tribune newspaper when he was a paper boy, thereby winning an all-expense paid trip to Niagara Falls. While in high school, he played drums in a band and for the symphony orchestra. Thereafter, he studied Electrical Engineering at Purdue University. He was also in the Reserves, so when WWII came along, he became a canoneer in the 328th Infantry, under General Patton. He saw much action and fought in the Battle of the Bulge. Upon his return, the Army sent him to Harvard University, but he preferred Purdue, so he transferred back there and graduated in 1947. He later earned his MBA from the University of Chicago.

Gordon started his career with Westinghouse Electric Company as a sales engineer, where he worked for 35 years, rising to the position of National Sales Manager. Upon his retirement from Westinghouse, Gordon began a new career as the Superintendent of Utilities for the City of Minden, retiring in 1992. While there, he was instrumental in the planning and upgrading of utilities, including a complete overhaul of the electrical distribution system.

Gordon was married in 1948 to Florence Smith, whom he had met in Pittsburgh, PA at a Westinghouse training seminar. They lived in Chicago after they were married and gave birth to two sons, Gordon O. Bartage and David Bartage. Besides Chicago and Shreveport, transfers along the way to Minneapolis, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh resulted in making many wonderful new friends and experiences.

Following Flo's early passing, in 1984, Gordon met and wed Ruby Staples in 1986. They traveled extensively and also enjoyed dancing, playing bridge and spending time with their friends. Gordon loved his family and his church. Gordon was active in the Maida Mickle Sunday School Class and served multiple times as its President. He also was involved as a Stephen minister for First United Methodist Church. Gordon served in several different capacities for the West Shreveport Lions Club, belonged to the American Legion, and was a member of the Amigos and the Cross Lake Dance Clubs. It was a special joy for him to play drums in the orchestra pit each year for the Red River Revue, a theatrical political parody for which his son, Gordon, wrote.

Gordon especially loved his grandchildren, Ben, Dan, Paul and Nicole. Anyone who knew Gordon knew about his grandchildren and their activities and accomplishments!

Gordon is survived by his wife, Ruby; sons, Gordon O. and David, their wives, Mona and Julie; his grandchildren; plus a multitude of friends and family.

The family wishes to acknowledge and give special thanks to friends, Jan Sharp, Max and Molly Edwards, Jessie and Mary Stafford, Dr. Billy Bickham and his staff, and the caring and compassionate staff at Garden Court Nursing Home.

The family requests that memorial gifts be made to First United Methodist Church of Shreveport, or to the Methodist Children's Home in Ruston, LA.

Rose-Neath Funeral Home, Marshall Street Chapel (318) 222-0348

Published in Shreveport Times on May 5, 2010

Sources: Ancestry.com and FindAGrave.com

09/13/2023 EJS

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/52127024/gordon-m-bartage