Gordon Ray McHood was born February 24, 1938, the son of Hubert R. McHood and Ruby Gardner in Winslow, Arizona.

He attended schools in Winslow, Arizona, Graduating in 1956.  Earned honors were Student Body President and the salutatorian of the 1956 class.  He also was the president of the Honor Society.

He attended the University of Colorado on an ROTC scholarship and served on the battleship USS Missouri before returning to the University of Arizona to finish his college education, earning a BS in business administration.  He served 2 ½ years as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Uruguay (South America) where he learned to speak Spanish.

After graduation from the University of Arizona, he and his wife moved to Los Angeles where he worked as an accountant for Texaco and a banker with Security First National Bank, before becoming an auditor for the State of California.  He worked as an auditor/accountant for a CPA firm in downtown Los Angeles before accepting a job with Frost & Foote, CPA's in Flagstaff, Arizona.  He later became a partner.  He and his wife, Carol Waag had six children. When his wife died of cancer, he married Claudia Orvin.  They raised his six and her four children.  After divorcing, he married, and was sealed in the Mesa, Arizona Temple to the love of his life, Linda Bruchman Parsons.  He moved to Winslow where he resided for the remainder of his life.  He and Linda served a two-year mission in Boston, Massachusetts.  He served in the LDS Snowflake Temple for many years.

During his life, Gordon was a member and served as president of the Optimist Club in Flagstaff, served as a member of the Board of Directors and as the board chairman of the Winslow Memorial Hospital.  He served on the Coconino County Planning and Zoning /Commission and later on the Winslow Planning and Zoning Commission as a board member and chairman for several terms.  He also served as a board member and Chairman of the Little Colorado Medical Center.  He was a volunteer docent and treasurer of the Old Trails Museum in Winslow.

Gordon is survived by his wife, Linda and their children Michael McHood (Sonja), Craig McHood (Leigh Anne), Wendy Tachiquin (Pedro), Julie Barfuss (Randy), Jennifer Peterson (Michael), Alan McHood (Rebecca), Justin McHood, Clinton Hansen (Tammy), Jason Hansen (Melissa), Ryan Hansen, Daniel Parsons (Denise), Cynthia Dowd (Cardy) and Paula Campbell (Pat) as well as his brothers Joel McHood and Jim McHood (Elizabeth). He is preceded in death by his son David Parsons.

During his life he served in various callings within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as bishop, counselor, clerk, scoutmaster, teacher, Sunday school superintendent, young men's president, high councilman, ward mission leader, and librarian.

A visitation will take place Friday, July 26, 2019 at 9:00 am, followed by funeral services at 10:00 am, both at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1501 Kinsley Street, Winslow, Arizona.  Interment will follow at Desert View Cemetery.