Deacon Bill Gorden died unexpectedly and peacefully Aug. 23 at his home in Oklahoma City. Ordained a permanent deacon on Nov. 15, 2002, by Archbishop Emeritus Beltran, he was assigned to Saint Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in Oklahoma City.
Born Dec. 8, 1948, in Tulsa to William W. Gorden and Margaret Fager, Deacon Gorden earned a bachelor’s degree in political science in 1971 from the University of Oklahoma, a Juris Doctorate in 1975 from Oklahoma City University and a master’s degree in liberal arts in 1987 from Oklahoma City University.
He worked as a professor at Redlands Community College, practiced as an attorney and judge, was an avid baseball coach and fan, a bicyclist and enjoyed reading, writing, painting and serving at the Dorothy Day Center food ministry. He also served as the coordinator of Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs for the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City.
He is survived by his wife, Debra Gorden, and sons, William David Gorden and Sean Thomas Gorden.