Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth…
Richard Paul Gordon, 96, of Mount Vernon, passed away on Wednesday, November 22, at Knox Community Hospital.
He was born May 29, 1927, in Morrow County, Ohio, the son of Harry T. and Naomi M. (Bartholomew) Gordon. He joined the United States Navy in 1945, at age 17, and graduated in absentia from Chesterville High School while in boot camp at Great Lakes Naval Base in Chicago, Illinois. He served as a Fireman First Class on the destroyer U.S.S. Renshaw in the Pacific Theater near The Philippine Islands during World War II. After being discharged from the Navy in 1946, Richard worked as a mechanic at KD Automotive and Kincaid Buick in Mount Vernon before being hired to teach the senior class of the Agricultural-Industrial Mechanics program at the newly opened Knox County Joint Vocational School in 1968. He was very proud that he, along with Jim Gray (Auto Mechanics), were the first two teachers hired at the new school. He taught for 23 years before retiring in 1991, and he kept in contact with many of his former students across the years. Richard was an electrical/electronics and mechanical engineer and prodigy. People called him from all over The United States to diagnose mechanical and automotive malfunctions with just a few questions and verbal description of the problem. He was an avid CB and Ham radio operator in the 1960s and 70s, but his greatest love was airplanes and flying. His greatest dream was to be a pilot in the Army Air Corps, but, with less than 20/20 vision, he was not accepted. He was a private pilot, was a member of the local “Koop Group” club at Wynkoop Airport, and owned several planes after retirement, flying all over Ohio and across The United States until a heart attack in 2002 clipped his wings.
Richard is survived by his daughter, Joni G. Gordon, of Sewanee, Tennessee, two granddaughters, Courtney (Barstow) Lee, of Columbus, Ohio, and Alexandra Fokas of Florida, four great-grandchildren, Zachary Lee, Samantha Lee, Nathaniel Lee, and Penelope Jane Fokas, and many nieces and nephews. He is also survived by daughter, Lane P. West, who has been his devoted caregiver and best friend for many decades, beloved niece and nephew, Cheryl and Dan Yingling, of Frazeysburg, cherished adopted grandson, Christopher C. Collins, Jr., of Howard, Ohio, and his best buddies, his dog and cat, Gracie and Bagheera (Boo). He was also very grateful for the long-term godly and compassionate care and Christian counsel of his doctor, Dr. Jonathan Hardin, whom he fondly called “J.T.”
Richard was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Lola J. (Ferris) Gordon, whom he married on June 7, 1959 two brothers, Ralph W., of Chesterville, and Cyrus W. A. (Arthur) Gordon, of Westerville, his sister, Marjorie R., of Thornville, and a great-grandson, Maxwell Lee.
A memorial service will be held on Tuesday, December 5, 2023- 2:00 PM at Snyder Funeral Home – Lasater Chapel, 11337 Upper Gilchrist Road in Mount Vernon.
To express a condolence to the Gordon family, please visit www.snyderfuneralhomes.com
Funeral Home: Snyder Funeral Home – Lasater Chapel
Website: www.snyderfuneralhomes.com