Obituary for Gordon Berdeen Oakland

Gordon Berdeen Oakland, 78 of Ossian, IA passed away on April 14th at Emplify Health in West Union after battling dementia for about 5 years. He had been a resident at Copper Creek Senior Living, also in West Union, for the past 2.5 years.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, April 20, 2026, at St Peter Lutheran Church, Eldorado. Burial will be held at a later time. Visitation will be held from 5:00-7:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 19, 2026, at St Peter Lutheran Church. There will be no visitation before the service on Monday morning at the church, please come in and be seated. 

In lieu of flowers, memorials and donations can be made to the Ossian Fire Department. 

Gordon was born February 12, 1948 in rural Eldorado, Fayette County, the son of Harry & Myrtle (Peterson) Oakland. He was baptized and confirmed at First Lutheran Church, rural Ossian, where he was a lifelong member until its closing.  He then became a member at St Peter’s Lutheran Church in Eldorado.  He attended school at South Winneshiek. He made his living as a truck driver for various companies in the area until he retired in 2016. It was during one of his first jobs he met Marlys Houg while picking up milk from the Houg farm in rural Gunder. Gordy and Marlys were married on May 20, 1972 at Marion Lutheran Church in Gunder. To this union three daughters were born: Kaarn, Julie and Leann.

Gordy enjoyed playing cards and going to coffee groups. He was always ready to tease or pick on whoever was around, especially his grandkids, but if he did you knew you held a special place in his heart.

Survivors include his wife, Marlys; daughters, Kaarn (Chad) McCarty and their children: Ava, Declan and Savannah of Peterson, IA; Julie (Jeff) Luzum and their sons: Easton and Gavin, of Decorah, IA; Leann (Jacob) Harris and their children: Gracin and Kadence of Earlville, IA;  Wendy Walters and her daughter, Sidney of Kansas City, MO. One brother: Kermit (Linda) Oakland of Ossian, sister-in-law Pat Oakland of Castalia, IA, brothers-in-law Marvin Houg of Cedar Rapids, IA, Loren Houg of Aplington, IA and Lowell (Sharon) Houg of Elgin, IA as well as many nieces, nephews and cousins. 

Gordy was preceded in death by his parents, Harry and Myrtle Oakland; parents in law: Myron and Lorraine Houg; sister: Marie (Carl) Decker, brothers: Harold (in infancy), Herman (Ileta) Oakland and Lloyd Oakland, sister-in-law Susan Houg , nephew Randy Butikofer, niece Lisa Hageman and great-nephew Bryan Sickles.