Adeline Gordon DesLauriers

Love the Lord with all your soul and mind and strength, ...and love your neighbor as you love yourself.
Mark 12:30

Obituary

Adeline will be indescribably missed. Her vibrant smile and sparkling blue eyes are a small portrait of her faithful love toward everyone around her. It is no wonder that she was much adored by her many friends and family members, all of whom have been affected by her great life. While she may not have an impressive list of achievements, her steadfast dedication to praying daily for everyone who was blessed to know her is rarer and greater than mere accomplishments. Adeline’s life is marked by genuine love and unfettered generosity. Her gift to those who have gone before her and to us who outlive her will be the precious experience of knowing what it’s like to be utterly loved without condition. How comforting to know that she now rests in the arms of her Great Savior, the One who unconditionally loves.

Adeline Gordon DesLauriers was born in Logan Heights, a neighborhood in California, on February 20th, 1930. The youngest of her siblings, she enjoyed roller skating and had ambition to become a pilot. As a young lady during WWII she lived in the housing reserved for defense workers with her sisters, who worked in the factory. When the war ended, she earned her degree in Early Childhood Development and became the youth program teacher for a new church congregation in Point Loma. There she also met and fell in love with Donald Gordon, and his 2-year-old son, Micheal Gordon. She and Don raised their children in Southern California, where Adeline was active in the local church and attended international mission trips, until they retired to Hawaii in 1990. There, they enjoyed time with their children and 14 grandchildren, and created cherished memories together. Adeline joined a team rowing club and spent much of her time swimming in the open ocean. After several years in paradise, they moved back to Southern California to be near family, where Don passed away in 2001. After some time, she married Lucien DesLauriers and they moved to Escondido, California. Adeline had her hands full making beautiful homemade cards for their combined children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, and daily praying for them all by name. Throughout her life, Adeline financially supported several church organizations, charities, and humanitarian groups focused on spreading the Gospel and providing for the needs of others; her generosity succeeded in helping people around the world. She passed away one month after her 95th birthday, on March 21st, 2025, from a struggle with double pneumonia. She was comforted by the company and care of her daughters. Adeline is survived by her husband, Lucien, her daughter Bonnie Ferris, her daughter Jennifer Gird, and her son, Michael Gordon. Having entered the peaceful embrace of the Savior before her are her husband, Donald Gordon, beloved sons, Robert Gordon, Andrew Gordon, and Christopher Gordon, and her beloved daughter, Kathryn Campbell.

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May 3, 2025

“Aunt Adeline” as we knew her, was our dad Fred Ludwig’s first cousin and friend growing up in Point Loma as they were the same age and she liked adventures too. We all knew her and Don as kind, fun loving family and are grateful for the few times we got to see each other.
We are certain she is continuing with her joyful
Spirit in heaven laughing with our mom Joanna and all her Ludwig cousins.
Love to you all,
Janelle Ludwig Helms
Picture 1
Adeline around 8yrs old with cousins,Dad Fred with his pistol pose
-Visiting in Pt Loma
-Visiting in Hawaii

Janelle Ludwig Helms

May 2, 2025

I was fortunate to have spent a lot of time with Grandma Adeline when I was a kid. She would have me over at her house for occasional after school hangouts and sleepovers, and I still remember the routine: she'd pick me up from school, we'd drive to Value Craft and pick out an activity or toy, and then she'd drive me to her house. There, I'd finish my homework with Grandma's help-- she loved reading over my writing homework-- and then I'd work on my new Value Craft project while a musical played on TV in the background. I remember how much she loved explaining the stories to me as she offered me chocolate covered raisins, and I remember the sound of her voice as she sang little tunes I didn't know around the house. My favorite was "I love you, my little buckaroo"-- one that she reserved for bedtime, after I was all tucked in.

She was always so full of love and care for everyone in her life. Her joy was just infectious, as was her laugh. I was always struck by how well she remembered details about other people-- I don't think she forgot a single birthday in our family, and there are a lot of us to remember! I hope I can carry on her memory well by loving others fully, living prayerfully, and filling my home with joy.

Katie Engelmann

April 28, 2025

Grandma used to tell me stories about when she was little, and one of my favorites was about the time she let all the pound dogs free.

When she was a girl, Grandma used to walk to school with two of her classmates and they would sometimes stop by the pound on the way to pet all the dogs and cats, and pretend they could pick one out to call their own. On one such visit the attendant asked the girls if they would take one home with them, "No sir, we can't; our mothers wont allow it".
"That's too bad", he said, "because all these beautiful animals will have to be put down tomorrow afternoon. There's just not enough room for them!"
Of course the girls wept the whole way to school thinking about all their fury friends being put down. But Adeline had a plan.
"Tomorrow", she told them, "we're getting up early to get to the pound before the attendant, and we're gonna let all those puppies out!"

The next morning the girls met as they had devised, and sure enough the attendant was not there. The three girls let every single dog out, and propped the front door open to make sure they all left. With pounding hearts and pounding feet they ran to school, feeling the high of vigilante justice.

That morning, however, during their first class the principal made an announcement over the PA:
"Will the three girls responsible for releasing all the pound dogs this morning please report to the office immediately. We know who you are, and the honorable thing to do is come to the office immediately!"

"Sit quiet!", Adeline hissed at her panicking friends, "If they really knew who we were they would've called us by name! Just shut up!"
Sure enough, they went the whole day without being caught - the pound attendant didn't know the identities of the young ladies who frequented the shelter, and they got away, Scott free!

And now we all know who let the dogs out.

Stefanie Hunter

April 27, 2025

On February 14, 2025, I presented dad with flowers and a Valentines day card to give to Adeline. The following day Adeline went to Oasis to see dad and he gave her his card and the flowers. With the staff making a video of the event, Adeline told dad that she would be back to give him her gift. Without hesitation dad said, "you don't need to bring me a gift, you are my gift!" And with that they kissed! The staff all oohed and aahed with enthusiasm and admiration! What a very special and loving Valentines Day!!!

Lucien DesLauriers, Jr.