Gordon M. Wendell, Jr.

Gordon M. Wendell Jr.

Newark - Rev Gordon McEwan Wendell passed away on April 22, 2023, after a long illness. His wife, Claudia, of forty-eight years, was at his side. He was 79 years of age.

Gordon was born on February 24, 1944, in Albany, NY, the second of four sons born to Gordon McEwan and Lois Brooke Wendell. His childhood was spent in Albany, Watertown, NY, and Hampden, MA. He attended high school in Cazenovia, NY, and graduated from Colgate University in 1966. He then attended Andover Newton Theological School, receiving his Bachelor of Divinity degree in 1969.

Rev. Wendell served several churches in over 40 years of Christian ministry. These included congregations in Foxboro, MA, Amboy, NY, and an open-air ministry near Cazenovia Lake, NY. At Amboy Presbyterian Church, Gordon was ordained to Gospel Ministry by the Cayuga-Syracuse Presbytery. He then received a yoked call to serve the Presbyterian Church (now Community Church) at Fair Haven and the Sterling Valley Community Church, which congregation he served until being honorably retired in 2013.

Gordon was an avid sportsman and athlete, active in skeet shooting, hunting, and fishing. He loved every moment of charter fishing with Captain Mike Decker on White Caps and eagerly used fishing excursions to minister to the people he brought.

Gordon loved singing and enjoyed Bluegrass music with Neil Shortslef and adult Choral group with Harold Cook. Gordon leaves the love of his life, Claudia (Field), his wife of nearly forty-eight years; a beloved son, Gabriel; two brothers, Fred (Linda) and Alec (Lynn) and thirteen nephews and nieces.
He was predeceased by his parents and his brother Jay.

The family will greet friends from 3 to 4 p.m. on Monday, May 8, 2023, at Norman L. Waterman Funeral Home Inc., 124 W Miller Street, Newark, NY 14513. Gordon's memorial service will follow visitation at 4 p.m. A graveside service for Gordon will be held at Springbrook Cemetery at 12 p.m. on Tuesday, May 9, 2023.

A Summer memorial gathering will be held in Chaumont, NY at his families cottage at a date and time to be announced.

Gifts honoring Gordon's life and ministry may be made to Elim Fellowship, 1703 Dalton Road, Lima, NY 14485, Samaritan's Purse Turkey/Syria relief, Pastor Gordon Wendell memorial page or Samaritan's Purse, PO Box 3000 Boone, NC 28607.

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