Donald Leroy (Don) Gordon |
| Posted 2014-12-21 by Sharla |
| Arizona Silver Belt, Globe, Arizona, Wednesday, December 17, 2014 Donald Leroy Gordon, 82, of Sierra Vista, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2014 in Tucson, Ariz., surrounded by his loving family. Don was born in Globe, Ariz. on Nov. 6, 1932 to Delmer and Edna Mae (Davenport) Gordon, along with his two brothers, David and Philip. He was preceded in death by his parents, and brother David with wife Jeanette. His younger brother, Philip, with wife Nelda survive him and reside in Globe, Ariz. Don is survived by his beloved wife, Mary Madeline (D’Elia) Gordon. Don is also survived by his two children, Del Gordon of Sierra Vista, and Joy Gordon Federico with husband Todd of Windsor, Conn., and two grandchildren, Daniel Gordon of Sierra Vista and David Gordon of Vilseck, Germany (U.S. Army). Don graduated from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Conn., in 1955. The day after his graduation, Don and Mary were married in New London on May 28, 1955. Don served his country in the U.S. Coast Guard and retired with the rank of Lieutenant Commander in 1975. On Oct. 16, 1956, while serving on the USCGC Pontchartrain, Don was involved in an incident at sea that made national headlines. Pan Am Flight 6, also known as Flight 943 in some reports, was forced to ditch in the Pacific Ocean northeast of Hawaii, due to engine failure. On board the airplane were 24 passengers and a crew of 7. After the plane circled the ship for hours to reduce the amount of fuel, the pilot skillfully ditched the aircraft into the ocean, where it broke apart and quickly started to sink. Through the quick efforts of the Coast Guard crew aboard the Pontchartrain, all passengers were rescued. After retirement from the USCG, Don taught Mathematics and Metallurgy for the State of Connecticut. Don attained a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from George Washington University. Don’s interests included hiking, gardening, treasure hunting and panning for gold in the Arizona mountains, reading, and Mary’s home cooking. Don tended to his garden and watered his plants every day. He loved being outdoors. He will be greatly missed and fondly remembered by all who knew him. The family would like to acknowledge and thank Don’s long-time gold digging buddy, Bill Graves and his wife Suk of Sierra Vista, for their daily love and support during Don’s illness and hospitalization. Funeral services were held at the Southern Arizona Veterans’ Cemetery chapel, 1300 Buffalo Soldier Trail, Sierra Vista, on Monday, Dec. 15, 2014, at 1 p.m. A celebration of Don’s life and a reception was held at La Casita Mexican Restaurant banquet room, 465 E. Fry Blvd., Sierra Vista, on Monday, Dec. 15, 2014, at 2 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Don’s memory to the Alzheimer’s Association (alz.org). Let us all envision a world without Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Hatfield Funeral Home in Sierra Vista (www.hatfieldfh.com). See Also: Find A Grave |
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