Gordon G. Gatrell

Click below to listen to the funeral service.

Available until December 29, 2016.

Gordon Grosvenor Gatrell, 93, passed away Monday, September 26, surrounded by his family. Gordon was born February 3, 1923, to Cyrus Grosvenor Gatrell and Lois Knight Bassett Gatrell. Raised in Salt Lake City, Gordon was a proud alumnus of Hamilton School and West High School.

In September 1942, Gordon enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, serving as an aircraft mechanic in the South West Pacific from February 1944 to June 1945, including through the consolidation of the Solomon Islands and the Battles of Leyte and Luzon. Gordon also served in the Korean area from November 1950 to September 1951.

In fall 1946, Gordon met Nadene Johnson on a blind date; they were married at Memory Grove’s Memorial House on December 5, 1947, in a ceremony broadcast on KDYL radio. Their marriage was later solemnized in the Salt Lake LDS Temple.

A lifelong member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Gordon proudly served in a variety of church callings, including counselor in the bishopric and two local service missions with Nadene. He was especially devoted to his most recent calling, serving as ward clerk into his 90s.

In addition to serving his country and his church, Gordon was known for his skill with anything mechanical, technical, or electric. For over 45 years, he owned and operated Laundry Equipment Parts, where he selflessly worked countless hours to provide for his family.

Later in life, Gordon adapted Nadene’s legendary family brownie recipe into a successful commercial product, spending much of his 60s, 70s, and 80s baking brownies for special occasions around the valley.

In his 70s, Gordon—who had been a hobbyist photographer from adolescence—also embraced digital photography and computers, and he continued to scan, print, and digitally retouch photographs until his passing.

Gordon is survived by his older brother, Wallace; seven of his and Nadene’s eight children: Jan (Rod) Rupp, Scott (Jan), Alan, Lois (Gail) Paxton, Cory (Debi), Linda (Rob) Wernli, and Terri Shaw; 20 grandchildren; and 15 great-grandchildren. Preceded in death by Nadene, oldest son Steven, and grandson Alex Wernli.

A funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, September 30, at the Garden Heights Ward, 2220 East Fisher Lane (2935 South); friends may visit with the family that afternoon from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. prior to the service. Interment at Wasatch Lawn. Guestbook to post messages for the family is available at: HolbrookMortuary.com