Gordon Malzer

Gordon Otto Malzer passed into the hands of the Lord at the age of 98 at Brookdale Eden Estates in Bedford TX where he had lived since 2016. His family surrounded him. He was born 5th child of 6 in Norway Township, Turner County, South Dakota outside of Hurley to Otto Malzer and Emma Nelson Malzer. Gordon was the brother to Hadley, Dorothy, Evelyn, Aldin and Adeline. He married his sweetheart Alice Kritzmire in 1948 and had 4 children, Linda Malzer Lee (Jeffrey), Kathryn Malzer, Deborah Malzer-Lindsey (Roger) and Eric Malzer (Margaret). They divorced in 1978. Gordon met Viola Stiles and they became partners in love till her death in 2016. He has 9 grandchildren, Laura Lee, Joshua VanSchoik, Juston Lee, Erica Malzer, Christina Glaser (Dale Ray), Amanda Malzer, Liberty Lee (Russell Simmons), Zachary Collins & Jeffary Collins (Kate). Also, 8 great grandchildren, Justin Veale, Ashton VanSchoik, Caleb Glaser, Liberty Veale, Victoria Veale, Carter Glaser, Livia Simmons & Everett Simmons.
Gordon started his young life on a farm outside of Hurley, South Dakota with his dog, Spotty, and was raised under the German Lutheran faith. He did not graduate from Parker High School due to World War II, but did receive his diploma 50 years later at a special celebration. This young man was instrumental in starting an airport in Parker with his friend, Walt Rogers. In 1945, he joined the Army Air Corp and was sent to Beloit College to gain entrance into the Aviation Cadet Program. He was trained as a military pilot and ready to be shipped off, but the war ended and was relieved from active duty as a 2nd Lieutenant Pilot. He received his Spartan School of Aeronautics Diploma in 1950 and started flying for Sinclair Oil Company which later became Atlantic Richfield Corporation. When he retired in 1984, he had flown over 7 million consecutive plane miles without an accident.
He loved all his family, friends and flying buddies. Flying, collecting narrow gauge brass locomotives, working on watches and tinkering on all kinds of creative projects were his life. What a man and tremendously respected!
Memorial services will be at 10:00am Saturday, June 10, 2023 at the Hofmeister Jones Funeral Home, Parker with burial with military honors in the family plot located at the Rose Hill Cemetery in Parker, South Dakota.