Gordon Lunsford

Gordon Lunsford, 82, of Lillian, Alabama, died unexpectedly Aug. 2, 2022 at Baptist Hospital in Pensacola. Gordon’s family was by his side when he died. A devoted husband, father, brother, grandfather and great-grandfather, Gordon was also a civil servant, a world traveler and a man of faith. He was filled with a lifelong enthusiasm for learning, embodied in his many interests and skills. Gordon is survived by his wife of more than 62 years, Connie Lunsford, and their children: Beverly Tenorio and her husband Thomas of Las Cruces, New Mexico; Martin Lunsford and his wife Kathleen of Clayton, North Carolina; Merrily Cassidy and her husband Patrick of Harwich, Massachusetts; and Mitzi Archer of Orlando. He is also survived by his siblings Marvin Lunsford and his wife Norma of Lillian, and DiAnn Midkiff and her husband Randy of Glendale, Arizona, as well as seven grandchildren, four great grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his sisters, Wanda Lunsford and Barbara “Eloise” McMillion, and his parents, Martin Elijah Lunsford and Edna Lucille (Yates) Lunsford. Gordon was born Oct. 2, 1939 in Chesapeake, Ohio. He attended Chesapeake High School and Marshall Lab High School in Huntington, West Virginia. He graduated from Marshall in 1957, the same year he first met Connie at a swimming pool in Chesapeake. They married Jan. 23, 1960 and were rarely apart, enjoying years of travel together, including 52 cruises. Gordon and Connie celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in 2020 surrounded by family and friends followed by a family trip to Hawaii. In addition to their children and grandchildren, Gordon doted on the family chihuahuas: Bit O Honey, Sweetie Pie and most recently Lollipop, who died at the age of 16 only a week before Gordon. In 1962 Gordon graduated from Kentucky Christian University in Grayson, Kentucky with a degree in religious education and went on to minister at a church in Brandon, Iowa. He served as a chaplain’s assistant in the Army for a short time before being honorably discharged. Gordon worked for the Standard Ultramarine Co. and then Pony Express trucking company. He then joined the Social Security Administration, where he worked for 38 years, starting in Charleston, West Virginia as a claims representative and working his way up to technical expert. He won numerous awards for his work. Even while working hard to support his young family, Gordon always made time for his children, whether it was attending Beverly’s high school plays or teaching Martin to hunt. In 1974 Gordon and Connie adopted twins - Mitzi and Merrily - a doubly exciting development. A year later Gordon moved his growing family to Roswell, New Mexico. In 1987, while still holding down his government job, he turned his sharp mind toward a new enterprise, launching Lunsford Piano Service, a piano tuning and rebuilding business, after the tuner Connie had used retired. Gordon bought all of the man’s tools and, in typical fashion, taught himself how to work on the instruments. The business took him throughout southeastern New Mexico and parts of West Texas rebuilding an average of half a dozen pianos a year. Gordon was once called in to tune a piano for Waylon Jennings while the country star was on tour. He tuned a piano for Guy Lombardo's Orchestra and retrofitted a piano into a saloon piano for a movie filmed in Roswell. After retiring from the Social Security Administration, he and Connie moved to Lillian, Alabama, in 2002. He continued working on pianos in his retirement, tuning his last one in the past month or two with plans to refurbish another piano stored in his backyard workshop. Throughout his life, Gordon was an active member of the church. He preached several years at Springhill Christian Church in Ochlocknee, Georgia, driving the 240 miles home after Sunday service every other weekend and then back for Wednesday service. He was a member of Lillian Fellowship Church and Grace Christian Church in Pensacola, where he served as interim minister. Gordon’s interests and expertise went far beyond his work and his faith. He learned to build houses with his father and built his first home in Scott Depot, West Virginia. Gordon built the family home in Roswell. He did everything, including the plumbing, electrical and all of the brickwork. He was an avid bowler and on teams in New Mexico, West Virginia and in Spanish Cove where he and Connie lived in Lillian, making many friends through the friendly competition. Gordon got his pilot’s license and owned a two-seater airplane in the early 1970s. He was also the author of three self-published books on theology. He loved to cook and made his own wine, jams and salsa. He was especially proud of his jellies, sourdough bread and “little smokies.” He was a voracious reader who would often eat meals while simultaneously consuming words from whatever book he was reading at the time. He was constantly tinkering and his garage and shed were filled with tools, all of which he used. He could never sit still and always had at least one project underway. When a hurricane toppled a tree on the Lunsford property Gordon had it sliced up with a plan to someday make tables from the pieces for each of his children. He once made a bookcase out of an old piano and made a camper out of a school bus to carry his young family on adventures across the country. There was little Gordon couldn’t accomplish when he set his mind to it and his mind was always set on something new. But his great joy came during times spent with his family when he could share new-found knowledge, stories and dad jokes that elicited equal parts groans and laughs. The Lunsford family would like to thank the many friends, including members of the church community, who have supported Connie and the family. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Kentucky Christian University Alumni Endowed Scholarship fund, 100 Academic Parkway, Grayson, KY 41143-2205, or a favorite animal rescue organization. A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 20 at Lillian Fellowship Church, 11737 County Rd 99 Lillian, AL. Drive-in service via radio will be available on 90.1 FM. Reception to follow at the Spanish Cove Clubhouse, 2079 Clubhouse Drive, Lillian, AL.