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Gordon M. Romney (1899-1984)

 The Theodore Turley Family Book, pp. 377-378

Gordon, the fifth of eight children, was born to Miles and Frances [Turley] Romney on May 14, 1899 in Colonia Juarez, Mexico.  At the age of thirteen, he was one of the youngest boys who rode horseback at the time of the Exodus to Hachita, New Mexico.

Between the years 1912 to 1917, his family became one of the many families who moved to the United States, only to return again and again to the Colonies.  Here he received his early education, scholastically as well as religiously. During one of the periods as a refugee, he graduated from Lone Star Grade School in Safford, Arizona as valedictorian,. Upon returning to Mexico he attended the Juarez Stake Academy from which he graduated as an honor student.  He was president of his class.  Desiring to further his education, he entered Utah State.  There he became a member of the Students Honor Corp. which carried him to the brink of war in 1918. After the Armistice was signed, he enrolled at the University of Utah.  In May of 1919 he joined a group of Marines who were to be assigned to France for a limited time.  At Quantico, Virginia, his military career was terminated after his group acted as guard of honor to President Wilson.

 Pursuing his education, he returned to Utah State.  There he was offered an opportunity to attend West Point, but declined in preference to serving a mission for the Church.  Gordon filled an honorable mission in France and Switzerland, serving three years.  The latter part of his mission he was acting mission president in the absence of his president.  During his time in the mission field, he labored under the guidance of both Elder David 0. McKay and Elder James E. Talmage.

Returning to the United States, he came to the El Paso Ward and became president of the YMMIA.  He was always active in promoting basketball with the youth of the Church.  His work with Boy Scouts began in California as a young man and continued in Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas.  His interest in Scouting continued the major part of his adult life.  For many years he sat on the Yucca Council for Advancement Awards.

On July 28, 1927 Gordon married Elizabeth Wilson, born Oct. 29, 1908 in Colonia Juarez, Mexico to John W. and Charlotte Elizabeth Butler Wilson.  They made their first home in Douglas, Arizona.  Again he served as president of the YMMIA. Another move took the family to Silver City, New Mexico.  The family had now added three little daughters to their home.  Here Gordon organized the nucleus of the first branch of Silver City. 1934 brought another move to El Paso.  Here he became superintendent of Sunday School.

In 1938 he was ordained a High Priest by Elder Spencer W. Kimball and appointed a member of the Mt. Graham High Council.  In 1942 a son was born to the family.  In 1952, the First Presidency called Gordon and Beth to preside over the first mission in Central America.  While living in Guatemala City he built the first chapel and a beautiful mission home. Their son, Gordy, then ten years old, accompanied them on this assignment.  The three daughters had married.