Gordon Herbert Schuster

Gordon Herbert Schuster, 89, of Nevada, passed from this life Friday, Jan. 23, 2015, at the Moore-Few Care Center, in Nevada. He was born March 15, 1925, in Buffalo, N.Y., the eldest child of Frank Gordon and Orpha May (Stegman) Schuster. On Sept. 28, 1946, he was united in marriage to Priscilla Merrill (Swan) Schuster and she survives of the home.

The family moved to different places during Gordon's younger life as his father opened new shoe stores in Ohio and several locations in Missouri. When he was 12, Gordon along with his family moved to Kansas City where he graduated with the Paseo High School Class of 1943.

At the age of 18 he entered the United States Navy serving our country aboard the USS Rehoboth AVP-50 (Sea plane tender) as a signalman until the end of World War II. He met his wife Priscilla at a USO in Boston, Mass., while his ship was in port.

After his military commitment he worked selling shoes until he accepted a job with Charles T. Main as a draftsman. He then interviewed with Bechtel Power Corp in May 1956 and the family relocated with two young boys to California after he accepted that employment opportunity. He spent 17 years in the Norwalk, Calif., office until he switched to field construction in May 1972, and went on the road with Bechtel building several power plants in Arizona, Louisiana, and California before his retirement in 1985. They lived in Yorba Linda, Calif., where he was an active member of the United Methodist Church of Yorba Linda and was later involved with the construction of the new chapel and fellowship hall.

He also was very active with his sons in the Boy Scouts serving as a Webelo leader.

He bought one of the first Dodge conversion vans in 1966, and together with two or three other families, went camping all over California. Aside from camping, he also enjoyed bowling, and was an avid golfer playing the sport for more than 50 years.

Survivors in addition to his wife, Priscilla, include his son, Robert Schuster and wife, Cheryl, of Spokane, Wash.; daughter, Pam Hayes and husband, Craig, of Nevada; daughter-in-law, Linda Schuster, of Peoria, Ariz.; sister, Donna Mae Scott and husband, Joe, of Davenport, Iowa; sisters-in-law, Carol Schuster, of Peoria, Ariz., and Janette Swan, of Milton, Mass,; 10 grandchildren and their families, Jenny Schuster of Glendale, Ariz., and her children, Kaela and Kelsey, Aletha Schuster of Peoria, Ariz., and children, Cutter and Zoe, Jeremy Schuster of Surprise, Ariz., Nathanael Schuster also of Surprise, Ariz., Steven Smith and wife, Samantha, of Flagstaff, Ariz., and their daughter, Alexis, Sarah Vickers and husband, Derek, of Spokane, Wash., Debbie Nix and husband, Matt, of Fort Smith Ark., and their children, Mikayla, Jenna, Jonathan, Macy, and Isaiah, Mary Wilson and husband, Mark, of Walker, and their children, Lane and Lindey, C.J. Hayes and wife, Jill, of Carl Junction, and their children, Craig and Audrey, and Andy Hayes and wife, Emily, of Nevada, and their children Walker and Morgan; along with several nieces and nephews, and many friends. Gordon was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Bob Schuster; his sister-in-law and her husband, Alberta and George Sawyer; and his son, Richard Schuster.

A memorial service for Gordon Herbert Schuster is scheduled for 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, Jan. 27, at the United Methodist Church, in Nevada. Visitation will be held from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., just prior to the service also at the church. Interment will take place at a later date in the Veterans Cemetery, in Cave Creek, Ariz.

Contributions may be made in Mr. Schuster's memory to the United Methodist Church, in Nevada, in care of Ferry Funeral Home.

View obituary and send condolences online at www.ferryfuneralhome.com.