Charles "Chuck" Gorton

His Grandparents were Albert and Mary Gorton & Harry and Mattie Bordner.

Charles spent his childhood in Page and Taylor counties in southwest Iowa. He was always proud of his rural upbringing and would often recall stories of his Grandpa Gorton and the lessons he learned during his childhood.

He graduated from New Market High School in 1953. He then attended and graduated from Northwest Missouri State College with a BA and master’s degree in history in 1959.

His studies were interrupted by service with the US Army. Charles served at Brooke Army Medical Center in Texas.

He was married in November 1956 to Saundra McGinnis of Maryville, Missouri. Their first son, Bruce, died in infancy.

Following his service in the army he returned to Maryville where he taught high school from 1960-61.

In 1962, he and his family moved to Kansas City so that he could take a position with the U.S. Civil Service Commission as an investigator.

In 1965, he moved to the Washington D.C. area and worked at the Civil Service Commission headquarters.

In 1970-71, Charles and his family lived in Tustin, CA while he was on a temporary detail and attended the University of California at Irvine.

In 1974, he went to work for the Food and Drug Administration in Rockville MD.

He retired from the FDA in 1994 as branch chief in the Office of Planning and Communications.

He was resident of Kensington, MD for over 40 years where in addition to other activities he served as the Scoutmaster for Troop 1092. He also learned to sail and spent several years sailing on the Chesapeake Bay.

He served as an adjunct faculty member at the NIH leadership school for over 15 years. He also served as an adjunct faculty member at American University.

In 2014, he moved to Sunrise Senior Living in Columbia MD.

His wife Saundra, who also lived at Sunrise, passed away in 2016.

He is survived by his two sons Scott (Deirdre) of Columbia, MD and Stuart (Lisa) of Richmond, VA, two granddaughters (Rebecca (Jim) and Rachel), two grandsons (Bradley (Sylvia) and Colin) and a great-granddaughter.

A memorial service and internment at Miriam Cemetery in Maryville is being planned for later this year.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the National Kidney Foundation

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.witzkefuneralhomes.com for the Gorton family.