OBITUARY: Former Cocoa Beach Mayorial Candidate Della Lee Gordon, 92, Passed Away May 3

Della ran for Cocoa Beach mayor that had the newspaper describe her as 'the rose between two thorns'

BREVARD COUNTY • COCOA BEACH, FLORIDA – It is with great sorrow that we announce the death of our beloved, beautiful, joyful Della Lee Gordon, on May 3, 2022. She brightened the lives of many people and will be greatly missed.

Della Lee entered this world in Philadelphia, PA on Ash Wednesday, March 5, 1930, born to Gladice Lulu and Mentor Guier. Della, being the first child, was the beneficiary of love from both parents and aunt and uncle as she grew up.

During the depression, the family moved to Seattle, where Della developed many life-long friendships and a keen memory of poems, songs and dances from her time at the Immaculate Conception Catholic High School in downtown Seattle.

After graduating high school, Della enrolled at Seattle University, then transferred to the University of Washington, where she earned her BA in Education while working at Boeing. It was at Boeing where she met Ammon G. Belleman Jr. an executive with IBM and who she would marry in 1959.

After the birth of her daughter Dana Lynn, Della and family moved to Cocoa Beach, FL where IBM was in charge of the Instrument Unit on the Apollo program to put the first man on the moon. There, she made many friends, even running for mayor in a close race that had a local newspaper describe her as “the rose between two thorns.”

In 1972, she and Dana moved back to Seattle, where Della was hired to be director of the volunteer program at the University of Washington Medical Center, and manager of the gift shop in the hospital. There she thrived for 19 years, sharing her outgoing personality, her love of coffee, her spectacular merchandising skills, and her constant warm, welcoming presence to all hospital visitors.

Della would go on to be very active in Seattle politics, working on numerous campaigns with her second husband Albert Gordon, a Professor at the University of Washington.

Together, they were active members of Plymouth Congregational Church for many years, until retirement, when they moved back to Cocoa Beach, then to Maryland to be closer to family.

Della was a lover of nature, flowers, and gardening. She enjoyed traveling and meeting new people and learning about new cultures. She had a strong sense for justice, a surprising sense of humor, and a fierce devotion to her family. She will be missed greatly by her many friends and family.

Her parents preceded her in death in 1983 and 1990, as did her aunt and uncle. She is survived by her husband Albert Gordon, brother James Guier and wife Judy, her daughter Dana Lynn Allard and husband Scot, by stepdaughter Sarah Ederle and husband Mike, stepson Andrew Gordon and wife Kristi, six grandchildren, and six great grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, donations should be made to Breast Cancer Research Foundation and the MS Society.

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