Janet Gordon

Janet Ann Murphree Gordon, 68, a lifelong resident of the Mayfield Community in Hillsboro, passed away Tuesday, March 24, 2015. Visitation will be from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Thursday, March 26, 2015, at Marshall & Marshall Funeral Directors in Hillsboro. Janet will be remembered with private funeral services. Ms. Gordon was a sixth generation Hill Countian.

She was born at Boyd Sanitarium in Hillsboro on October 29, 1946 to Jewell Rangeley Murphree and Ewell Grant Murphree. As a child, she performed tap and ballet on Channel 5, the first TV channel in Texas. She graduated from Hillsboro High School in 1963, Hill College in 1964, and received her bachelor’s degree from Texas Tech University in 1967. She also did post graduate work at Baylor University where she received her teaching certificate in 1981. In 1982, she began her teaching career at Hillsboro High School, and later taught in Penelope, Abbott, and completed her twelve years of teaching at Itasca High School. She was named Who’s Who Among American High School Teachers, Strathsmore Who’s Who for Teaching Excellence, and received the Mirabeau B. Lamar Award for Teaching. She was also awarded the University Scholastic League Sponsor of the Year Award in 2003 from the University of Texas for her work with the students.

She leaves behind a legacy of having taught over 2,000 students in her teaching career. For a period of nine years, Ms. Gordon tutored children at the Children’s Presbyterian Home in Itasca. She taught for a total of twenty-six years, impacting numerous lives. Throughout her life she enjoyed her children, grandchildren, and friends, as well as spending time on the family farm.

Ms. Gordon was a past president of the Philotechnos Club, past president of the Gamma Delta, a member of Classroom Teachers, and the National Federation of Teachers. She was a member of the Hill County Historical Society, past director of the Hill County Cell Block Museum and the Hillsboro Heritage League. She was a member of the First Baptist Church in Hillsboro.

Preceding her in death were her parents; a sister, Mary Frances Murphree; a brother, Donald Murphree; a niece, Cindy Murphree Holland; and infant son, Montgomery Lee Gordon.

She is survived by three children, Jana Elizabeth Nors and husband, Raymond, of Abbott, Donald LeVan Gordon and wife, Lisa Ann, of Itasca, and Tyler Grant Gordon and wife, Tereasa, of China Spring; four grandchildren, John Marshall Nors, Joseph Wagner Nors, Chandler Grant Gordon, and Victoria Ann Gordon; niece, Beverly Ann Gerke and husband, Billy Ray; sister-in-law, Ann Murphree; great-nephews, Andrew and Jonathan Gerke; great-niece, Sherry Gerke Davis; and two great-great nephews, Nolan and Joseph Davis.

Memorials may be made to the Children’s Presbyterian Home, P. O. Box 100, Itasca, TX 76055 or to the charity of one’s choice.

Visitation

6:00 PM - 8:00 PM ,Thursday, March 26, 2015
Marshall & Marshall Funeral Directors in Hillsboro
2495 Corsicana Highway Hillsboro, TX 76645

Private Funeral Service