Gordon Ingham, Jr

age 76, of Birmingham, AL, passed away on Sunday, January 22, 2006. He was born in Lynchburg, VA, on October 23, 1929. Gordon grew up on a farm in nearby Forest, VA, and served in the 29th Division of the Virginia National Guard and the U. S. Army Reserve for 13 years. He also worked for the railroad industry for 17 years, which instilled in him a lifelong love of steam engines and the railroad. After settling in Birmingham, Gordon worked as a personnel manager for Square D Corp. in Leeds, AL, and then spent 13 years in Louisville, MS, with Spartus Corp. He retired in 1993 as a corporate director of industrial relations. Gordon loved to make people laugh with his stories and jokes. He enjoyed reading American history and was a Civil War enthusiast and an ingenious jack-of-all trades. He could figure out how to fix or build just about anything and taught himself the art of fine woodworking. Building or refinishing furniture pieces for family and friends gave him great pleasure, and he lavished as much meticulous care on the simplest box as he would on an heirloom bed. In retirement, he took a passionate interest in current events and national politics. Gordon was a member of Lakeside Baptist Church and was also a longtime supporter of the Gideons and Friends of Israel. He was preceded in death by his parents, Gordon C. and Patti Virginia Ingham; his brother, Robert E. Ingham; and two sisters, Nancy DeMasters and Alix Arlene Ingham. He will be remembered with much love by his wife of 44 years, Barbara Ingham; two daughters, Vicki Ingham of Des Moines, IA, and Dr. Cynthia Ingham, serving in the Peace Corps in China; two stepdaughters, Cindy Golden (Michael), and Kathy Chambers (Dale) of Birmingham; four grandchildren, Sarah and Andrew Golden, Lauren and Alyssa Chambers; two sisters, Jean Harrison and Patricia Barrett of Virginia;and nine nieces and nephews. The family will receive friends on Wednesday, January 25, 2006, from 10:00 until 11:30 a.m. at Currie-Jefferson Funeral Home, Hwy 150, Hoover, with funeral services to follow at 11:30 a.m. in the funeral home chapel. Dr. Mike McLemore officiating. Entombment will be in Jefferson Memorial Gardens, South. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Gideons International, Friends of Israel, Lakeside Baptist Church, 2865 Old Rocky Ridge Rd., Hoover, AL 35243. Currie-Jefferson Funeral Home directing.