SERGEANT GORDON E. PLEDGER

BADGE 99 & 464

SDPD  04/01/1948 - 01/03/1974

07/04/1918 - 03/08/2006

THE THIN BLUE LINE

Gordon Pledger died March 8, 2006.  He was born in Roddy, Texas on July 4, 1918, to James Henry Pledger and Sally Constance ‘Duke’ Pledger.  He had two older brothers and one younger sister. He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1937 and was sent to MCRD in San Diego for his military training. He was honorably discharged in 1941 and married Pauline D. Holmes of Lansing, Mich., whom he had met in San Diego, in April of 1941.

His first son, James R. Pledger, was born in September of 1942.  His wife, Pauline, died in February of 1943 at the young age of 23.

World War II was in full swing and Gordon was subject to recall, back into military service. He enlisted in the Army Air-Corps in 1944 in hopes of becoming a pilot. His eyesight was not quite 20/20, and his height at 6 foot 2 inches kept him out of a tail gunner’s seat.

He went on in-active duty in 1946, as a staff sergeant. After the war ended, he stayed active in the Air Force Reserves until he was honorably discharged in 1949.

He had worked in security at the Solar Aircraft Company after getting out of the Marine Corps and had advanced to employment manager. A corporate re-organization brought a new president and personnel, and with the loss of that job, it helped in his decision to enlist in the Army Air-Corps.

During his tour in the Army Air-Corps, he met Irma Janette Roberts, in Denver.  He noticed her skills in softball and other areas of interest at a church picnic.  That led to a marriage union that lasted over 60 years.  They were married in Denver on Feb. 2, 1946.

Gordon’s second son, Daniel W. Pledger, who resides in La Mesa, was born in San Diego, in September, 1950.

Gordon had worked briefly at Kelco Corporation prior to re-entering the service in 1946 and returned to that company after getting out of the service. He had brought his young bride with him to San Diego and they lived there until he died.

Gordon worked as many as three jobs at a time during that period of his life and finally was hired as a patrolman for the San Diego City Police Department, on April 1, 1948.

He retired as a sergeant in 1974.

His last position was the sergeant in charge of the department’s newly formed Community Relations Division which was a new concept in community involvement, called “Store Front,” throughout the various communities of the city.

In 1956, he found the third love of his life: San Diego Masonic Lodge 35, F & AM.  He so loved Masonry, he opted to pursue the officer line of the Lodge, instead of further advancement in his police profession.

He did, in fact, go through the line of officers and served as Master of the Lodge in 1966.  He also held the position of inspector, for ritual work done in the Masonic Blue Lodges, and he was a life member of the San Diego, Scottish Rite, as well as a life member of San Diego Masonic Lodge 35, F&AM.

After his retirement from the city of San Diego in 1974, he served as secretary of the San Diego Lodge 35 for five years, and then finished his career in the working world, as the head of security for the Timken Museum of Art.  He started on October 16, 1980, and worked just passed the New Year’s Millennium in January of 2000, for another 20-year career.

The last couple of years he had been fighting a battle with lung cancer and spent the last few weeks of his life convalescing at home with the assistance of San Diego hospice, his wife Janette, his two sons and their wives.  Memorial services were held at the Scottish Rite Center in San Diego on Thursday, March 23. The remains were placed in the Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in Point Loma.

Gordon leaves two children and their wives, five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.He had worked in security at the Solar Aircraft Company after getting out of the Marine Corps and had advanced to employment manager. A corporate re-organization brought a new president and personnel, and with the loss of that job, it helped in his decision to enlist in the Army Air-Corps.

During his tour in the Army Air-Corps, he met Irma Janette Roberts, in Denver.  He noticed her skills in softball and other areas of interest at a church picnic.  That led to a marriage union that lasted over 60 years.  They were married in Denver on Feb. 2, 1946.

Gordon’s second son, Daniel W. Pledger, who resides in La Mesa, was born in San Diego, in September, 1950.

Gordon had worked briefly at Kelco Corporation prior to re-entering the service in 1946 and returned to that company after getting out of the service. He had brought his young bride with him to San Diego and they lived there until he died.

Gordon worked as many as three jobs at a time during that period of his life and finally was hired as a patrolman for the San Diego City Police Department, on April 1, 1948.

He retired as a sergeant in 1974.

His last position was the sergeant in charge of the department’s newly formed Community Relations Division which was a new concept in community involvement, called “Store Front,” throughout the various communities of the city.

In 1956, he found the third love of his life: San Diego Masonic Lodge 35, F & AM.  He so loved Masonry, he opted to pursue the officer line of the Lodge, instead of further advancement in his police profession.

He did, in fact, go through the line of officers and served as Master of the Lodge in 1966.  He also held the position of inspector, for ritual work done in the Masonic Blue Lodges, and he was a life member of the San Diego, Scottish Rite, as well as a life member of San Diego Masonic Lodge 35, F&AM.

After his retirement from the city of San Diego in 1974, he served as secretary of the San Diego Lodge 35 for five years, and then finished his career in the working world, as the head of security for the Timken Museum of Art.  He started on October 16, 1980, and worked just passed the New Year’s Millennium in January of 2000, for another 20-year career.

The last couple of years he had been fighting a battle with lung cancer and spent the last few weeks of his life convalescing at home with the assistance of San Diego hospice, his wife Janette, his two sons and their wives.  Memorial services were held at the Scottish Rite Center in San Diego on Thursday, March 23. The remains were placed in the Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in Point Loma.

Gordon leaves two children and their wives, five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

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