Gordon Stanwood Ankeny

A celebration of life for Gordon and his son, Larry will be held on Saturday, June 12, 2021 at 11:00 am at Demaray Funeral Service - Gooding Chapel. 

A joint graveside inurnment with military honors for Gordon will follow at the Elmwood Cemetery in Gooding.

     Gordon “Gordy” Stanwood Ankeny, 91, a resident of Gooding, Idaho, passed away on Saturday, May 2, 2020 at the North Canyon Medical Center in Gooding.

     Gordon was born on March 10, 1929 in Winnebago, Minnesota, one of seven children born to Irvin George Ankeny and Maude Sarah Cheatle Ankeny.  He was raised and educated in Winnebago.

     Gordon married Eleanor Ann “Annie” Sonnicksen on May 15, 1954 in Winnebago. 

     Gordon entered the U.S. Armed Forces in January 1951 to serve in the U.S. Army in defense of his country during the Korean Conflict.  Gordon was then discharged from the Army as an honorable decorated veteran in October of 1952. 

     He then worked in the transportation industry for Interstate Power and Reserve Mining.

     After marrying his wife Annie in the spring of 1954 the couple eventually moved to Poway California and raised their two children, Barbara Glee and Larry Eugene. Gordon then drove big rigs for Anaheim Truck and Transfer and FedMart Distribution logging well over a million road miles.

     The family then left sunny California to hang up the keys and settle in to the new family business, buying the Meyer Brothers Hardware store in the small farming community of Gooding Idaho in 1976. Gordon's first visit to that hometown hardware store also meant the first meeting of his closest ally for the rest of his days, David Butler. After four years of settling in and building a new home in Gooding, Gordon returned to life behind the wheel driving trucks for the Basterchea family, Montana Express and D&D Transportation through 2008.

     In 2006 Gordon said goodbye to his wife Annie who passed away in Feb. He then began to slow down and spend more time enjoying his own beloved activities including expanding his collection of County Fair ribbons for the flowers from his own yard to traveling the road on his own time to stop and enjoy the people and places he had previously drove through without stopping in order to keep the promised deliveries he was responsible for. During these final chapters of Gordon's busy life he was blessed by the connection he shared with his companion, Pauline Jackson. The two enjoyed every day together traveling, attending the United Methodist Church or their weekly date night on Main Street. Gordon's final place of rest will be the Elmwood Cemetery in Gooding Idaho.

     Gordon is survived by: his daughter – Barbara (Chris) Tucker of Fountain Hills, Arizona; one brother – John Ankeny of St. James, Minnesota; one sister - Cecil Bathke Carroll Ankeny of Denton, Texas; two grandchildren – Zachary Paul Seaman and Kayleigh Anne Seaman, both of Boise, Idaho.

     He was preceded in death by: his father - Ervin G. Ankeny; his mother – Maude Sarah Ankeny; his wife – Eleanor Ann Ankeny; son – Larry Ankeny; brothers – Thomas Edward Ankeny and Harlan Ankeny; and sisters – Hazel Englestad Ankeny and Ruth Milbrandt Ankeny.

    Cremation arrangements are under the care and direction of Demaray Funeral Service - Gooding Chapel.

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