William G. Gordon

     William G. “Bill” Gordon, age 91 of Emlenton, passed away after a short illness at UPMC Hamot in Erie on Tuesday, March 21, 2023

     Born July 15, 1931 in Corry, he was the oldest son of the late Walter Henry Gordon and Norma Alford Gordon, and grew up on a dairy farm where he developed his passion for conservation.

     Bill graduated from Corry Area High School in 1949 and went onto Mount Union College, graduating in 1953 with a BS degree.

     During the Korean Conflict he served in the United State Army as a training instructor at Fort Sam Houston, Texas.  After his discharge he attended the University of Michigan where he earned his Masters Degree in Fisheries in 1957.

     Bill was then employed by the Federal Bureau of Commercial Fisheries, working on the Great Lakes.  He ended his career with the Federal Government as the Director of the National Marine Fisheries Service in Washington DC, retiring in 1986.

     He went on to his next challenge as the Executive Vice-President for the New Jersey Marine Science Consortium and served as Sea Grant Director for its 31 member universities. When he finally retired, he took up farming in Pennsylvania, ranching in Colorado and back to Pennsylvania in 2005 to farm again and be near family.

     Survivors include Bill’s wife, Susan Baker, who he married on March 11, 1991, and three children to his first wife, the late Gloria Charlene Lenhart: Bill Gordon of Milton Mills New Hampshire, Richard Gordon of Beverly, Massachusetts and James Gordon and his wife, Diane, of Killington, Connecticut and their four children: Casey, Nate, Dana and Chloe.

    Bill is also survived by his siblings: Nanette Pugh of Buffalo, New York; David Gordon and his wife, Kathy, of Brookville and Barbara Monday of Rome, Georgia; many beloved nieces and nephews and their children, and a son-in-law, Mike Ranguette of New Hampshire.

      In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his daughter, Kathie Ranguette and his sister, Margaret Liechty.

     Bill enjoyed so many things in his life; family, collecting antiques, his work in conservation, and being a good steward of the land on their ranch in Colorado as well as farms in Pennsylvania.  He liked to hunt, fish and ride horses when he was able.

     Family and friends will be received from 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday, April 1, 2023 at the William N. Rupert Mortuary, Inc., 430 Mendenhall Avenue, Knox.

     A Celebration of Life will immediately follow at 11 a.m. Saturday in the funeral home. Reverend Chris Lewis will speak on Bill’s life and give final words.

     In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in the name of William G. Gordon to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 (online at stjude.org/donate) or Knox Ambulance Company, P.O. Box 636, Knox, PA 16232

     Online condolence may be sent to Bill’s family at www.rupertfuneralhomes.com

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