William Gordon & the Chariton High School building

Chariton this year will mark the centennial of its high school building --- a structure that has stood the test of time and remains as the anchor of larger complex that by now includes additional classrooms, the big gymnasium, Johnson Auditorium and the Chariton Community Center.

It was designed by a Des Moines-based architect named William Gordon, who at the time was widely known for his schools. The Chariton School Board had visited several of them --- including Creston, Red Oak, Shenandoah, Newton and Webster City --- before awarding the commission.

But what happened to Mr. Gordon after his design was turned into brick and mortar? I got to wondering about that earlier this week. As it turns out, there's not much out there about him.

But I found the answer in a brief item headlined "Body of William Gordon Here Today" in The Des Moines Tribune of Nov. 24, 1923:

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The body of William Gordon, 1070 Twenty-first street, local architect who died suddenly of heart failure at Oelwein last night, will  arrive in Des Moines this evening.

Funeral arrangements have not yet been made.

Mr. Gordon left home yesterday morning in apparent good health to inspect construction of a school building in Oelwein. He spent the afternoon in conferences with the board of education there and started for the depot at 7 o'clock to return home when he was suddenly taken hill.

An ambulance was called and he was taken to the hospital where he died without regaining consciousness.

He is survived by his widow and  two sons, Billy and Eugene.

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Mr. Gordon was only 46 when he died. After funeral services at his home in Des Moines his remains were taken to Fairview Cemetery at Lenox in Taylor County for burial.

The families of both Mr. Gordon and his wife, Alice, lived in Taylor County at the time.

Mrs. Gordon remarried and moved to California, where she died during 1943. The sons moved west, too, and lived long lives.

I have no idea how many of Mr. Gordon's schools still are standing, but I imagine that he would be gratified to know that one of his last buildings is still standing a century after it was built, in exemplary condition and in use.