Albert “Gordon” DeWilde, 89, of Goshen and formerly of Middlebury, died Sunday, April 12, 2015 at Greencroft Healthcare.

He was born February 16, 1926 in Waterloo, Iowa to Albert and Freda (Hall) DeWilde. He moved with his family to Goshen in 1940. He graduated from Goshen High School in 1945 where he played football and ran track, holding the long jump record of over 21 feet from 1945 until it was broken in 1986.

On July 28, 1946 he married Virginia Marie Williams, the love of his life. They owned an ancestral farm in Middlebury which they proudly name “Carousel Farm” and raised their beloved Arabian horses.

Gordon was retired from the Northern Indiana Public Service Company after 37 years of service. He was a member of Goshen First United Methodist Church and past member of Pleasant Ridge Church, Indiana Arabian Horse Club, Al Saheb Arabian Horse Club and the American and National Carousel Associations. He also served on the board of the Cornell Cemetery Association and was active as an adult leader in the Elkhart County 4-H Saddle Club for many years.

Gordon is survived by his eldest sister, Gladys Bickel of Goshen; his children, Steve (Brad Pearson) DeWilde of Kansas City, Missouri, John (Carolyn) DeWilde of Goshen and Patty (Bob) Mehl-Tearman of Trafalger; five grandchildren, Scott DeWilde of Goshen, Gail (Gerard) Edwards of Glendale, Arizona, Penny (Jeff) Thiel of Queen Creek, Arizona, Ryan (Nicole) Mehl of Goshen and Jill Mehl of Kansas City, Missouri; six great-grandchildren, Asher, Abram and Eden Mehl, Griffin and Gideon Edwards, Ellie Thiel; and two step-great-grandchildren, Isabel and Josh Thiel.

He was preceded in death by his wife, his parents and two sisters, Phyllis DeWilde and Madge Manrow.

Yoder-Culp Funeral Home