Whenever someone mentions Uncle Gordon, the first image that pops into my mind is a campsite on the shore of Redfish Lake. Not Gordon's image specifically, but just the feeling of his presence there. He was there, at that camping trip, back when dinosaurs roamed the earth (1968?). I remember Gordon, Jody, Doug & Jeri. I don't exactly remember Michael, Lori, or Brenda. Sorry guys. Sleeping in a hot cramped army surplus tent. There was the usual fun on the lake. I think we may have had a boat there. Gordon and his family were with us for a few days R&R, just before he deployed to Vietnam. I remember Gordon & Jody, my mom & dad spent a lot of time together sitting, talking. Eh, and lots of beer. I do remember that. Us kids, my brothers Lynn & Dean, and certainly Gordon's kids, were having a blast. We sensed the stress. We knew about Vietnam. In the months that followed we were more interested in the news of the war, limited tho it was. We heard a few stories of Gordon's harrowing adventures, and we sent him fruitcakes baked in coffee cans. Later found out that fruitcake was used as a less than lethal cannon projectile.
My dad, Ray, was the second of Belle & Tracy's kids. Yvonne, the oldest, always impressed me as being the intellectual of the family. I thought of my dad as the geek. He seemed too serious to me. Maybe all dads look that way to their tweenage kids. Vern seemed too serious also, but could have a wickedly sharp sense of humor. Gordon, the baby of the family, seemed to have all those qualities rolled into one, perfectly balanced, bear-sized package. His sense of comedic timing was great. He started with what sounded like a serious story, and then the punchline comes out of nowhere. I recall a story he told at my dad's funeral about dad taking him deer hunting. Wish I'd heard it years before, so I could have seen dad's reaction.
I have other memories of Gordon. As a child in Salt Lake dad, Gordon & Vern helping with each others landscaping projects, or the famous patio parties in Trace's back yard. Playing with Doug & Jeri, Patty & Robert (whose real name I did not know until years later. He went by a nickname which shall remain unspoken ;-). Who could forget the family reunions? The infamous Matanuska river rafting trip. Island Park, and most recently Aspen Grove.
We've all grown up and moved far from our spawning grounds. I regret that we've not been in touch with each other as much. We've lost track of each other's families and adventures, it takes a funeral to get us back together. But we can always try. Taked to Lynn a couple of days ago in Kuwait. Isn't technology amazing! Said he always thought of Gordon as his favorite Uncle. We all feel that way. We hope we can be favorite uncles.
I know Gordon was a man of great faith in his Heavenly Father, and the infinite atonement of His Son. He was a strong and wonderful patriarch in his home. He still is. The blessings of his life will echo thru his family for generations.
