Gordon Arthur Bixel, O.D., was born July 16, 1927 and died September 24, 2022 at age 95, surrounded by his family.
He was preceded in death by his first wife Dr. Janet Kennedy Bixel, his second wife Lucy Crowly Bixel, and his 3rd wife Connie (Prestendrea) (Detweiler) Bixel, his parents Dr. Gordon Bixel Sr. and Margaret Claassen Bixel of Bluffton, Ohio, and his sister Elizabeth (Bixel) (Miller) Jeschke of Goshen, Indiana.
He is survived by children Dr. Carl Bixel (Carolina), Eric Bixel (Patti), Ron Bixel (Mindy), Curt Bixel (Jill), Juanita Pekay (Lars), and Rick Wooster. He is also survived by five grandchildren, Megan and Ryan Bixel, Trevor and Dylan Pekay, and Ann Bixel, and by brother David Bixel of Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Dr. Bixel graduated from Bluffton High School in 1945, from Bluffton College in 1950, and from the Ohio State University College of Optometry in 1957. He practiced optometry in Worthington, Ohio and retired in 1999.
He took credit for the defeat of Germany, ending the Second World War. Hitler quit the day after Private Bixel was inducted into the United States Army – “Must have heard I was coming”. He served again during the Korean conflict. He learned to fly while in high school and earned his pilot’s license.
He was editor of the Bluffton College student newspaper, warmed the bench for one season for the Bluffton College football team, and served in a Mennonite service unit in Jackson, Mississippi. His first job after graduating from college was washing dishes in a New Haven, Connecticut restaurant.
He was three times president of the Columbus Toastmasters Club, a member of its district champion debate team, and served as Area Governor. He was treasurer and later president of the Worthington PTA Council.
He grew up in the First Mennonite Church of Bluffton, Ohio, was a member of the El Paso, Texas Unitarian Church, the first president of the King Avenue Methodist “Guys and Gals” young adult group, member of the 1st Unitarian Universalist Church of Columbus, Ohio, charter member of the North Columbus Unitarian Universalist congregation, a charter member of its board of trustees, and served as its first chair of the worship committee. Upon moving to Reynoldsburg, Ohio he joined the Unitarian Universalist Congregation East, and later was a member of the Delaware, Ohio Unitarian Universalist Fellowship.
He was President of the Stafford Village-Court Residence association, and twice chaired his High School reunion. Gordon most recently lived in Golden Valley, Minnesota and enjoyed making people laugh with his jokes and sense of humor. A Celebration of Life will be held at Flourish Senior Living on Sunday October 2 from 10:00-11:30 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, please consider Park Nicollet Foundation Hospice. Their care, kindness and endless support of Dr. Bixel and his family was truly a gift. Visit https://www.healthpartners.com/foundations/park-nicollet/foundation-form/ or call the Park Nicollet Foundation at (952) 993-5023.
