Gordon L. Hiney, formerly of Loveland and Windsor, CO passed away peacefully at his home with his family in Denver, NC after a long, valiant battle with cancer.
Gordon was born to Ada Mae (Brewer) Hiney and Gordon Lewis Hiney on April 7,1952 in Fort Leavenworth, KS. His father was a meteorologist with the U.S. Air Force and they lived in many places. When his father died in 1957, they were stationed in Japan. His mother returned stateside with Gordon and his sister and settled in Waterloo, NY.
Gordon graduated from Waterloo High School and enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1970. He served in the 1st Aerospace Cartographic and Geodetic Service under the U.S. Defense Mapping Agency responsible for mapping national and international projects. His most memorable experience was being stationed in Peru and Ecuador where he served for two years. After leaving the service, he moved to Loveland, CO in 1975 to take a position as aerial photographer and then photo lab manager with R&D Aerographics. He attended Aims Community College and Colorado State University while working and raising a young family. In 1984, he went to work for Aero-Metric in Fort Collins until 2009 when they closed their Fort Collins office.
It was in Loveland in 1979 that he met the love of his life, Cindy Guldy. They were married September 13, 1981 at First United Methodist Church in Loveland by Rev. Bob Link. His bride was escorted down the aisle by her two sons, Leif, age 8, and Yancy, age 6. The standing joke was that Gordon married Cindy for the boys because he couldn’t wait to have his own family. They had daughter Erin in 1983 as the love story continued for their 39 years of marriage. Gordon loved his family and was especially proud of being a father and grandfather ‘Papa” to Hayden, Hailey and Ryann. He was always very intentional in his words and actions as he instilled his strong set of values in his children and grandchildren.
After 40 years of mapping, Gordon decided it was time for a new career and joined New York Life as a financial advisor. He retired in 2016 and his retirement job was being Cindy’s business manager for her New York Life practice until his passing. They became great business partners and enjoyed the freedom that working together provided.
Gordon was passionate about his hobbies and interests and always had a book, newspaper, magazine or iPad in hand. He moved almost every book he ever read to North Carolina. Gordon loved dogs, especially German Shepherds. He belonged to the High Plains Schutzhund Club in Denver, CO and spent many years training his dogs for tracking and protection work. He was an Assistant Scout Master with the Boy Scouts for years and loved passing on his knowledge of the outdoors and leadership skills. The dads always had as much fun as the kids and his involvement in Scouts helped his son Leif earn his Eagle Scout, which was a great source of pride. He spent many years on the bleachers watching all his kids play sports. While in high school, he participated in competitive shooting and took up that sport again for over 20 years as a member of Weld County Fish and Wildlife Club.
Gordon is survived by his wife, Cynthia Guldy Hiney, daughter Erin Rasmussen (Chad), Indialantic, FL, son Gordon Swafford (Deanna), Indianapolis, IN, step-son Leif Guldy (Stephanie), Highlands Ranch, CO, step-son Yancy Guldy, Astoria, NY, sister Dawn King (Lynn), Waterloo, NY, step-sister Cheryl Forrest (Michael), Alexander, AR, grandchildren Hayden Guldy, Hailey Guldy and Ryann Rasmussen and his best friend, German Shepherd Pickett. Gordon was proceeded in death by his parents Gordon L. Hiney, Ada M. Tzivani and his step-father, James S. Tzivani.
Gordon has asked his family to spread his ashes in the most beautiful place in all 50 states which he has flown over and mapped. A private celebration of life with military honors will be held in Colorado in August.
Charitable donations in Gordon’s honor can be made to the Community Foundation of Northern Colorado (Loveland Generations Fund) or Weld County Fish and Wildlife in care of Kibbey-Fishburn Funeral Home, 1102 N. Lincoln, Loveland, CO 80537.
