Aileen Achor Gorley

Aileen Achor Gorley, 84, of Woodway passed away Oct. 10, 2004, at Ridgecrest Retirement Center. Following a private graveside service at Oakwood Cemetery, a memorial celebration will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 16 at Wilkirson-Hatch- Bailey Garden Room with Dr. Jeff Smith, her pastor, officiating. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 15 in the Garden Room. Aileen was born Dec. 19, 1919, in Kansas City, Mo., to Louis A. and Myrtle D. Arneson. After graduation from Northeast Missouri State Teachers College in Kirksville, she married Dr. Merlin F. Achor on July 4, 1942. While he served as a medic with the Marine Corps during WWII, she was employed in the defense industry. In 1946 and 1948, her daughter, Judith and son, Joseph were born. A longtime educator, Aileen taught more than 40 years in Missouri, Texas, California, and Arizona. From 1955 to 1972, she taught in California, mostly with economically disadvantaged children, and worked concurrently at Disneyland in the Tinkerbell Toy Shop in Fantasyland. She loved meeting people from around the world and sharing her love of the Magic Kingdom. In 1972, she chose to leave California for a new adventure–teaching at the Toyei Indian Boarding School on the Navajo Indian Reservation in Arizona. In addition to teaching on the reservation, she was director of maternal infant care, and, at times, postmaster, acting principal, and supervisor of teachers. Active in scouting, youth church activities, and student government, she also established the first national honor society in the Navajo Indian Reservation. The Navajo children loved her and wanted to dye her hair black so that she would be more like them. In 1985, she retired from the Bureau of Indian Affairs and moved to Waco to be near her son’s family. After retirement, her love of dogs became a hobby as she bred Scottish terrier show dogs. With her passion for teaching children, she substituted until age 77. She was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Clifford Arneson; sister, Leone Elizabeth Arneson; and husbands, Dr. Merlin F. Achor and Kenneth C. Gorley. She is survived by her daughter, Judith A. Miller and husband, Dr. Russell H. Miller of Green Lane, Pa.; son, Dr. L. Joseph Achor and wife, Sharon Slack Achor of Woodway; grandson, Shawn J. Achor of Boston, Mass.; and granddaughter, Amy Achor Blankson and husband, Kwabena L. Blankson of New Haven, Conn. Memorials may be made to the Waco Humane Society or a charity of choice. The family invites you to leave a message or memory in our “Memorial Guestbook” at www.wilkirsonhatchbailey.com.