GORDON FRANCIS ORNELLES, DDS

Gordon Francis Ornelles, DDS, passed away Sunday, October 11, 2020 surrounded by his wife, Connie and his family. Gordon was born January 29, 1929 in Honolulu, Hawaii to Adam and Mary Ornelles. He was one of 6 children; survived by his twin brother, Dermot Ornelles of Honolulu, Hawaii and his sisters, Eloise Wilson of Elk Grove, California, and Brenda Water of Houston, Texas. He graduated from St Louis High School in Palolo Valley, Honolulu where he went on to achieve his DDS from the University of the Pacific in San Francisco. While in San Francisco he met his future wife, Constance Steensrud, another resident of Honolulu, who was studying nursing there. They were married March 5, 1954 at St Frances church in San Francisco.
Gordon had a love for baseball. He was on the ILH Championship Team at St. Louis in 1945 and 1946. He played baseball at the University of Hawaii from 1946 thru 1950, and with the Braves of the Hawaii Baseball League from 1946 thru 1950.
Gordon served in the U. S. Military, stationed at Fort Lewis Army Base in Tacoma, Washington and Two Rock Army Base in Petaluma, California as a dentist. He and his wife, Connie, settled in Petaluma after the service and started a private dental practice. They remained in Petaluma until he retired then moved to Rohnert Park. In 2008 Gordon and Connie moved to Granbury, Texas to be close to family.
Gordon was active in the community as a Boy Scout Leader and President of the Lion’s Club, where he would come home after a meeting and tell the family all the jokes he had heard at the meeting. He was an active member of the Outrigger Canoe Club, and the Father’s Club at St. Vincent’s Church.
As a dentist he was known to barter with his patients for dental work. His large family were the beneficiaries of boxes of Crane melons, abalone, meats and vegetables, along with a beautiful carved picnic table. He enjoyed talking to his patients and would glean as much information about their profession as possible. He had the ability to communicate and relate to anyone he met.
He was a story teller and had a story for every occasion. He loved to talk about growing up in Hawaii where he and his siblings had the run of the island. He encouraged his children to explore life having listened to the adventures he had as a child. His wife shared that when he asked her to marry him, she knew that life would be an adventure with him, and it was.
Gordon is survived by his wife, Connie; daughters, Anne (Doug) Fulks, Julie (Kim) Jamieson, Cindi (Randy) Johanson, Beth (Tom) Brown, Leslie (Biff) Temple, and sons Michael (Marie) Ornelles, and Steven (Heidi) Ornelles; 14 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren.
The family will be having a memorial service in Granbury, Texas. The family encourages friends and family to tell stories about Gordon. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Hanna Boys Center in Sonoma, California.