Gordon Ray DeLong

Gordon Ray DeLong passed away suddenly on Monday February 23, 2015. He was born in St. Joseph, Michigan on April 10, 1958, and spent the early part of his childhood with his siblings and friends in the farming community of Sodus in southwest Michigan and then in Lansing Michigan. He later moved with his family to Berrien Springs where he graduated from High School. He established a distinguished career in the insurance industry in west Michigan with Jerviss-Fethke insurance of Muskegon. He was active in the community and served in leadership roles with the Lakeshore Home Builders Association. Gordon was also active in the Home Builders Association of Michigan and later became an executive coach. He and his wife Karen Herzog were married in Berrien Springs, Michigan on April 13, 1989, and they made a home in Spring Lake, Michigan with their daughter Lindsay. Karen preceded Gordon in death in 2004 as did his parents Robert and Ursula DeLong. Gordon is remembered as a loving husband, father, brother and compassionate friend that touched many people in meaningful ways. He was very proud of Lindsay’s achievement of completing schooling to become a registered nurse. Gordon is survived by his daughter Lindsay, his brothers Eric (Sharai) DeLong, Douglas DeLong and his children Jennifer and Cheyenne, Roger (Teri) DeLong and their children Rob and Chrissie , sister Roberta Belen and her children Jacob, Timothy and Jessica , Karen’s mother and father Henry and Pearl Herzog. His also survived by an extended family that included Elinor Taylor Michael Taylor and his daughter Jennifer, Laura (John) Koscielniak and their daughters, Mary, Beth and Sarah, Belinda DeLong, David and Luann Keizer and their daughters Emily and Abigail, and Jason Dahlke-Butler. Visitation will be Friday February 27 at 11:00 a.m. with a memorial service to follow at 12 noon at First United Methodist Church, 227 Fulton Street East in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Friends and family are invited to a luncheon at the church following the service. Interment will be at the Spring Lake Township Cemetery. Rather than flowers, the family requests that Gordon be remembered through memorial donations to GIFT at 207 Fulton Street East, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503 or Hospice of North Ottawa Community at 1061 South Beacon Blvd., Grand Haven, Michigan, 49417.

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Gordon Ray DeLong

April 10, 1958 - February 23, 2015