Gordon Alfred Gienow

Gordon Alfred Gienow passed away quietly on September 3, 2011 at his home in Decatur. His loving wife, Gloria and daughter Valerie and a nurse were at his bedside. Gordon was the son of Alfred Carl and Alfhild Gustavson Gienow. He was born on August 26, 1930 in Hackensack, NJ. He graduated from Hackensack High School and attended Brown University. As a teenager, he learned to fly and acquired a small plane which he loved flying out of Teterboro Airport in New Jersey. When he was in his early twenties, his family moved to Louisville, KY where he sold Beechcraft airplanes and became a corporate pilot for Lincoln Income Life Insurance Co. In 1963, he moved to Atlanta and affiliated with National Financial Services Group and the National Life Insurance Co. of Vermont. He achieved Lifetime Membership in the Million Dollar Round Table and in 1976 received his Chartered Life Underwriter designation. He was the recipient of his company's highest agent recognition, the President's Club Summit Award. From 1983 to 1991, he was chairman of the Ethics and Field Practices Committee of the Atlanta chapter of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors. Gordon's primary hobby was big band music. In 1973, he became the pianist and subsequently the business manager of the Atlanta Seventeen Orchestra, a group of business and professional people who play for love and donate their net proceeds to charity. Gordon is survived by his devoted wife of 37 years, Gloria Tarpley Gienow; his sister Lynn Fernandez and her husband Fred of Rohnert Park, California; five children, Valerie Waters of Covington, Karen Barrows of Oregon, Kim Gienow of Pennsylvania, Van Waters of Marietta, and Scott Gienow of Washington; seven grandchildren, Andrea Clay, Tommy Reichelderfer, Emily Reichelderfer, Lucas and Samuel Gienow, and West and Grey Gienow; several sisters and brothers-in-law; and two generations of nieces and nephews. He was dearly loved by his family and many wonderful friends. On Thursday, September 8th, the family will receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m. at A.S.Turner & Sons, 2773 N. Decatur Road, Decatur, with funeral services at Turner's chapel on Friday, September 9th at 1 p.m. Interment will follow at College Park Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to Southwest Christian Care, 7225 Lester Road, Union City, GA 30291, or to a charity of one's choice.

Funeral Home:
A. S. Turner & Sons
2773 North Decatur Road
Decatur, GA
30033