Verdon Family History & Genealogy

James F Verdon of Portland, Multnomah County, OR was born on October 22, 1915, and died at age 72 years old on June 7, 1988. James Verdon was buried at Willamette National Cemetery Section D Site 3594 11800 Se Mt. Scott Boulevard, in Portland.

Thomas J Verdon of Far Rockaway, Queens County, NY was born on December 12, 1916, and died at age 69 years old in September 1986.

Ellis B Verdon of Miami, Miami-Dade County, FL was born on February 1, 1923, and died at age 79 years old on March 2, 2002.

John J Verdon of Commack, Suffolk County, NY was born on August 31, 1908 in Irish Free State, and died at age 61 years old in November 1969.

John A Verdon of Malverne, Nassau County, NY was born on January 1, 1914, and died at age 83 years old on January 5, 1997.

Albert A Verdon of Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA was born on July 24, 1921, and died at age 83 years old on November 13, 2004.

William R Verdon of Cincinnati, Hamilton County, OH was born on December 16, 1922 in British North America or Canada or Labrador or Newfoundland, and died at age 77 years old on March 16, 2000.

William J Verdon of Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA was born on October 19, 1922, and died at age 78 years old on September 3, 2001.

William H Verdon of Bronx, Bronx County, NY was born on August 17, 1916, and died at age 71 years old on May 16, 1988. William Verdon was buried at Calverton National Cemetery Section 12 Site 2064 210 Princeton Boulevard - Rt 25, in Calverton.

Charles E Verdon of Toledo, Lucas County, OH was born on March 3, 1912, and died at age 87 years old on November 24, 1999.

Andrew J Verdon of Wallkill, Ulster County, NY was born on May 16, 1920, and died at age 90 years old on July 11, 2010.

Joseph D Verdon of Holyoke, Hampden County, MA was born on September 27, 1905, and died at age 75 years old in March 1981.

Richard W Verdon of Hinsdale, Du Page County, IL was born on June 20, 1922, and died at age 66 years old on June 24, 1988.

Born January 13, 1925 in Culver City, L. A. California, USA Died October 18, 2000 in Woodstock, Vermont, USA (heart attack) Birth Name Gwyneth Evelyn Verdon Height 5' 4" (1.63 m) Gwen Verdon was born to the theater. Her mother, Gertrude, was a vaudevillian and dancer. Her father, Joseph, was an MGM studio electrician. She had to wear corrective boots as a child to straighten out her legs, which were misshapen by childhood illness. Nonetheless, she first appeared as a tapper on stage at age 6. She got her break in Bob Fosse's "Damn Yankees" in 1955. She married Fosse in 1960 and separated from him, although never divorcing him, in the mid-'70s. More stage and screen work quickly followed with highlights in "New Girl In Town", "Redhead", "Sweet Charity", and "Chicago". She and her daughter, Nicole Fosse, created the current stage musical "Fosse". Upon her death, Broadway dimmed all of its marquee lights in tribute. A star was born January 13, 1925 in Culver City, California. Her name was Gwyneth Evelyn Verdon, and she was the only Broadway star who had the capability of outshining greats, such as Ethel Merman. Her parents were English emigrants, Joseph William and Gertrude Verdon and she had one brother, William Vernon. Joseph was an electrician at MGM and Gertrude was a former dancer and vaudeville veteran. When she was a child, Gwen was afflicted with rickets, a disease that left her legs so badly misshapen that she was called "Gimpy" by other children and had to wear orthopedic boots and stiff braces. Gertrude placed her daughter in dance classes at the age of 3 in hopes of strengthening her legs and improving her carriage. By the age of 6, Gwen was studying many dance forms (ballroom, Balinese, tap, jazz, juggling, flamenco). She attended Hamilton High School in LA, where she was cast in a revival of "Show Boat". However, she shocked her parents and instructors by abandoning her budding career to elope with tabloid reporter James Henaghan. The marriage last 5 years and left Gwen 22-years-old, divorced and with a son, Jim Henaghan (aka Jimmy). She trusted Jimmy to the care of her parents and went to work as temperamental Jack Cole's assistant choreographer, where she helped him with shows like "Magdalena" and "Alive and Kicking". Although she landed a few small film roles as a "specialty dancer", Gwen was more often delegated to instruct actresses such as Jane Russell, Lana Turner, Betty Grable and Marilyn Monroe. Cole cast Gwen in his show "Alive and Kicking", but the show was a bitter disappointment to both Cole and Gwen and closed quickly. Ms. Verdon returned to Hollywood to raise her son and teach dance. However, 1953 brought 28-year-old Gwen a big break in the Cole Porter musical "Can Can", which was choreographed by Michael Kidd. Her role as "Claudine" in "Can Can" brought Gwen a Tony. At the conclusion of the "Garden of Eden" number, the house went wild. Verdon left the stage, went to her dressing room and changed into her bathrobe. The audience would not stop applauding until she took another bow... which she did--dressed in her bathrobe. Her next role was as "Lola", the sexy, volatile seductress and assistant to the Devil in "Damn Yankees", a role choreographed by Bob Fosse (she also played the part in the film version). Gwen won her second Tony for this role. Fosse chose Verdon over Marilyn Monroe. Fosse and Verdon collaborated on "New Girl In Town" and "Redhead", bringing her her third and fourth Tony's. Fosse and Gwen were married in 1960. Ms. Verdon took a six-year hiatus to have daughter Nicole Fosse. In 1966, she returned to the stage to portray the role of "Charity Hope Valentine" in "Sweet Charity", with a Cy Coleman/Dorothy Fields score, book by Neil Simon and choreography by none other than Fosse, himself. It ran over 600 performances. This musical was turned into a movie in 1969 with Shirley MacLaine in the lead. Gwen coached MacLaine throughout. Gwen and Bob legally separated in 1971 due to Fosse's extramarital affairs, but never actually divorced. They remained close friends and worked together on "Chicago", where Gwen played "Roxie Hart", the musical "Dancin'" and Fosse's autobiographical film, All That Jazz (1979). In recent years, Gwen and daughter Nicole collaborated to create the Broadway show "Fosse", about Bob. Along with her two children, Verdon had four grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Gwen continued to instruct dance and musical theatre up until 1999. Best known for her verve, sass and vivacity, Gwen was not only perhaps the best dancer this world has ever seen, but she could act and sing, a triple-threat. Her voice had a rough-hewn, grainy quality and yet... it was still very feminine and beautiful. Unfortunately, while at the home of her daughter, Gwen passed away on October 18, 2000 in Woodstock, Vermont due to natural causes. The same day, the lights on Broadway were dimmed in honor of the passing of one of its brightest stars.

Clifford Jean Verdon was born on April 15, 1924, and died at age 52 years old in November 1976. Clifford Verdon was buried at Long Island National Cemetery Section X Site 6934 Wellwood Avenue, in Farmingdale, Ny. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Clifford Jean Verdon.

Willard Daniel Verdon of Davenport, Scott County, IA was born on January 10, 1934, and died at age 60 years old on August 1, 1994. Willard Verdon was buried at Rock Island National Cemetery Section S Site 213 Bldg 118 - Rock Island Arsenal, in Rock Island, Il.

John Thomas Verdon of Spring Hill, Hernando County, FL was born on July 28, 1918, and died at age 80 years old on May 7, 1999. John Verdon was buried at Florida National Cemetery Section 316 Site 81 6502 Sw. 102nd Ave., in Bushnell.

Margaret Hamilton Verdon of Spring Hill, Hernando County, FL was born on March 7, 1920, and died at age 76 years old on October 19, 1996. Margaret Verdon was buried at Florida National Cemetery Section 316 Site 81 6502 Sw. 102nd Ave., in Bushnell.

Cornelius L Verdon of Port Charlotte, Charlotte County, FL was born on April 12, 1919, and died at age 73 years old on November 27, 1992. Cornelius Verdon was buried at Florida National Cemetery Section 112 Site 1583 6502 Sw. 102nd Ave., in Bushnell.

George Anthony Verdon was born on November 25, 1934, and died at age 28 years old on July 17, 1963. George Verdon was buried at Beverly National Cemetery Section Y Site 2899 916 Bridgeboro Road - Bridgeboro Road, in Beverly, Nj. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember George Anthony Verdon.