Donna G. Gorden-Auld

Donna G. Gorden-Auld passed away Friday, May 3, 2019 in Springfield, MO following a sudden illness. Born Donna Grace Swart on September 13, 1947 in Manhattan, KS, to Donald L. and Ardis M. (Stewart) Swart, she grew up in and was valedictorian of her high school class in White City, KS. She was a member of Alpha Xi Delta sorority at Kansas State University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Home Economics. Following graduation she married Gary E. Gorden in Seoul, South Korea, where they lived for a year before moving to Independence, MO and then Iola, KS to raise their two sons.

She had lived in Springfield since 1983, where she married Glenn A. Auld on February 19, 1999, and where she developed a wide circle of friends through her memberships at Schweitzer and Campbell United Methodist churches, work as an Ameriprise financial advisor, and volunteer roles at many local organizations. She loved travelling to enjoy the beauty of nature and cared for all living things, from her family and friends to pets and wild birds, and her generosity continues in death with gifts of life and sight to organ recipients.

She was surrounded in passing by her loving husband and 13 children and grandchildren by birth and marriage, who survive her: Shawn Gorden and Roxanne Ayotte of Washington, MO; Kyle Gorden and George Price of Chicago, IL; Jennifer, Nathan, and Dane Howe and Sherri, Ted, Kyplee, Kailynn, and Treyanne Jacobson of Eskridge, KS; and Autumn and Dillon Wines of Central, SC; as well as sister and nephews Sharon Payne Jenatscheck and Jim Payne of Springfield, and John Payne of Argens-Minervois, France. She was preceded in death by her parents and by her step-father Vernon Rose. All who knew her are welcome to attend a memorial service at Campbell United Methodist, 5pm on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 12, and are encouraged to consider memorial contributions to Campbell UMC or Best Friends Animal Society.