GORDON WELLS WOLFRAMDied March 22, 1992 Gordon was the youngest of three sons of Albert Lewis Wolfram, born in Sharon, Wisconsin, and Gertrude Metlen Wolfram, born in Dillon, Montana. Orland was the oldest, born in 1912, a musician, architect, athlete, airplane pilot, teacher, and finally missionary to Guatemala, where he died and was buried several years ago. I came in the middle, seven years younger than Orland, and a little over two years older than Gordon. All of us were born at Zarephath, New Jersey, where the Pillar of Fire organization had a thousand-acre spread of campus, K-12 schools and Christian college, farms, publishing plant, and later pioneer radio station, WAWZ. Our father was a minister and writer, and long-time bursar and treasurer of our national headquarters in New Jersey. Our mother was a piano teacher, preacher, broadcaster, college dean, and home missionary, so it is no wonder that we were interested in music from our earliest memories. I remember when Gordon had his first violin lesson from Bradford Tye, a teacher and broadcaster with us for a number of years. He also began to play the trumpet at an early age, and while in high school was principal coronetist or trumpeter in our campus band. During some of those years I was privileged to be the conductor. Orland practiced the piano hours each day during part of his teenage years, and evidently Gordon must have caught fire in a similar way, for he became very proficient on the keyboard as well. Somewhere along the line, Gordon left New Jersey for Montana, where he lived on the Metlen ranch near Armstead. Later he attended the University at Missoula, and then, when World War II broke out, volunteered for the Navy, serving aboard the USS Natoma Bay out of Bremerton, Washington. On his return to civilian life he finished his degree at the University, and then began a career in banking in Billings, continuing until retirement as vice president, with one or two stretches with Uncle Dale Metlen at the CL Ranch. Early on while in Billings Gordon met Helen, a young school teacher from Minnesota, and later on they were married. Two children blessed their union, Gordon and Kristin, and one grandson, Damien. Job, who was perhaps a contemporary of Abraham, had this prophetic vision of the coming Messiah: "I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth; And though after my skin worms shall destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God. Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another." (Job 19:25-27) When the Messiah came, many centuries later, these are some of the wonderful words He spoke to the people: "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matt. 11:28-30) And finally, words of the Saviour found in John 14: "In my father's house are many mansions. If it were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for your, that where I am ye may be also. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." May the Lord add His blessing, comfort, and encouragement to each one of us that mourns my brother's passing.
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