Jon Gordon (“Gordy”) Scott, age 68, of Marietta, Georgia, died peacefully at home surrounded by family and friends on February 23rd, 2019, after a lengthy illness. He is survived by his loving wife of 33 years Connie Weems-Scott, his son Cameron, age 20, his daughter Cassandra, age 20; his sister Cheri (Scott) Krumholz and husband Dr. Richard Krumholz of Sarasota, Florida; a niece Jill Guiberson, her husband Ryan and their daughters of Colorado Springs, Colorado. He was preceded in death by his parents John and Dorothy McCoy Scott of Beavercreek, Ohio.
Born and raised in Xenia, Ohio, he graduated from Xenia High School in 1968 and was a 1972 graduate of Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio. Upon graduation from Wright State he briefly taught elementary school in Xenia. He later became a very successful manufacturer’s sales representative for Scott Paper Company and C. Lloyd Johnson Company, a consumer goods company.
Known as “Gordy” to his family and friends he was an avid Ohio State Buckeyes fan and boat enthusiast. He would frequently take family and friends out on his boat water skiing/tubing or for a leisurely cruise on the water. He cherished his youthful memories of his 1966 Pontiac GTO. He was an accomplished woodworker, hand crafting all kinds of wood projects in his ShopSmith wood shop. His grilling/cooking skills and home baked pies were his trademark. His children were the light of his life and Gordy attended their many activities and band performances with the greatest pride. Together Gordy and Connie traveled extensively throughout the U.S. and internationally with laughter and joy, building a treasure trove of unique memories. Their children later joined in their passion for travel.
A celebration of life service will be held on Friday, March 22nd at 2:30 p.m. at Eastminster Presbyterian Church, 3125 Sewell Mill Road, Marietta, GA. The Family would like to invite everyone to a reception at the church immediately following the service.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in memory of Gordon to The Myositis Foundation online at https://www.myositis.org/donate/ or by mail to The Myositis Foundation, 1940 Duke St., Suite 200, Alexandria, VA 22314.
This is the eulogy that I gave at Gordy's Memorial Service on March 22, 2019 in Marietta, GA.
I AM DAVID SCHWEIBOLD. I NOW LIVE IN ST. PETE BEACH, FLORIDA. I’VE KNOWN GORDY SINCE KINDERGARTEN – SINCE WE WERE 5 YRS. OLD. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
GORDY AND I LITERALLY GREW UP TOGETHER – THERE WASN’T A DAY THAT WENT BY THAT WE DIDN’T PLAY TOGETHER AT RECESS; EAT LUNCH TOGETHER AT SCHOOL; WE’D RIDE OUR BIKES TOGETHER; WE PLAYED LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL TOGETHER; OUR DADS WOULD TAKE US TO CINCINNATI REDS GAMES TOGETHER; WE WENT TO MINOR LEAGUE PRO HOCKEY GAMES TOGETHER; WELL, YOU GET THE PICTURE – ALMOST INSEPARABLE GROWING UP – DOING ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT KIDS DO TOGETHER. SO BEGAN A LIFE LONG BOND THAT WOULD LAST FOR OVER 60 YEARS THROUGH THE TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS OF BOTH OF OUR LIVES. AND, IN THOSE 60 PLUS YEARS OF FRIENDSHIP, NEVER A CROSS WORD PASSED BETWEEN US.
WHEN CONNIE CALLED AND TOLD ME GORDY WAS GOING UNDER HOSPICE CARE, THE FIRST THING I PACKED WAS THE FAMILY BIBLE – 1952 VINTAGE. WHEN GORDY DID PASS AWAY, I NEEDED TO FIND SOME SOLACE SOMEWHERE, SO I OPENED THE BIBLE FOR THE FIRST TIME PROBABLY IN OVER 30 YEARS. SO WHEN THE THUNDER AND LIGHTNING STOPPED, I GOT TO THINKING, WHERE DO I EVEN START READING? GORDY AND I WERE BOTH HUGE MUSIC BUFFS SO GORDY – YES GORDY I’M CONVINCED – DIRECTED ME TO ECCLESIASTES 3 – A PASSAGE MADE FAMOUS BY A FOLK MUSIC COMPOSER WHO WROTE A SONG IN 1965 ADAPTED FROM IT AND I READ:
“FOR EVERYTHING THERE IS A SEASON, AND A TIME FOR EVERY MATTER UNDER HEAVEN: …..”
I READ THE POPULAR VERSES IN ECCLESIASTES 3 AND THEN DECIDED TO READ THE WHOLE CHAPTER FROM BEGINNING TO END TO PLACE THE 3RD CHAPTER IN CONTEXT. I’M OBVIOUSLY NOT A BIBLICAL HISTORIAN BY ANY STRETCH, BUT IT TURNS OUT IT’S A SOMEWHAT CYNICAL, SARDONIC ACCOUNTING BY A FORMER KING OF JERUSALEM ON HIS REIGN AND ON THE BEHAVIOR OF HIS PEOPLE. AND HE CONTINUALLY ASKS QUESTIONS THROUHOUT THE BOOK REGARDING THE MOTIVATION BEHIND PEOPLE’S WORK AND TOIL. AND I THOUGHT WITH THE SARCASM AND CYNICISM – THIS COULD HAVE BEEN WRITTEN BY GORDY!
FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT KNEW GORDY, HE HAD THIS SARCASTIC, CYNICAL SENSE OF HUMOR BUT IF YOU WERE ABLE TO CUT THROUGH THE CRUST ON THE OUTSIDE, INSIDE WAS A HEART OF PURE GOLD. GORDY WAS THE PERSONNIFICATION OF THE GOLDEN RULE – HE WOULD GIVE THE SHIRT OFF HIS BACK TO FAMILY, FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS. MORE ON THAT LATER.
IN ECCLESIASTES, THE WORD “TOIL” IS USED FREQUENTLY – I COUNTED 29 TIMES – AND I PROBABLY MISSED A COUPLE. IN CONTEXT, THE WORD “TOIL” IMPLIES THE SAME AS IT DOES TODAY – HARD WORK, STRUGGLE, SACRIFICE, AND PERSEVERENCE. IN LIFE, SOME THINGS CAME EASY FOR GORDY – LIKE BEING A LOVING HUSBAND; A DOTING FATHER TO CASSIE AND CAM; AND WORKING WITH HIS HANDS. THE MAN COULD BUILD OR FIX ANYTHING. HIS PRIDE AND JOY WAS HIS ’66 PONTIAC GTO – SILVER BLUE, 3 2-BARREL CARBURATORS, AND A HURST 4-SPEED TRANSMISSION ON THE FLOOR. 3-DEUCES AND A 4-SPEED AND A 389……JUST LIKE IN RONNY AND THE DAYTONAS SONG IN ’64 TITLED “LITTLE GTO”.
BUT THERE WERE ALSO MANY THINGS THAT DIDN’T COME EASY FOR HIM THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE THAT HE WOULD STRUGGLE WITH. HE WASN’T THE GREATEST SCHOLAR WHEN WE WERE YOUNG SO HE HAD TO STUDY HARDER THAN THE REST OF US TO MAKE GOOD GRADES. HE STRUGGLED WITH MATH ALL THROUGH SCHOOL. MATH HAPPENED TO BE ONE OF MY STRENGTHS SO IN GRADE SCHOOL AND JR. HIGH WE WOULD STUDY MATH TOGETHER FOR HOURS AND I SERVED AS A PSEUDO-TUTOR FOR HIM. THE HARDER WE WORKED, THE BETTER HIS GRADES GOT. HARD WORK. SACRIFICE. PERSEVERENCE.
GORDY AND I PLAYED SPORTS TOGETHER – FOOTBALL, BASKETBALL, BASEBALL – IN 5TH GRADE GORDY STARTED HITTING HIS GROWTH SPURT AND WAS ALMOST 6’ TALL ALREADY SO THE BASKETBALL COACH’S WIN STRATEGY WAS TO FEED GORDY IN THE CENTER AND HAVE HIM LAY IT IN OR SHOOT A HOOK SHOT. WE USED TO WORK ON BOTH OF THOSE FOR HOURS ON END USING THE BASKET MY DAD HAD PUT ON OUR GARAGE. THE HEART OF GOLD – HE DIDN’T WANT TO BE A BASKETBALL STAR, HE JUST DIDN’T WANT TO LET THE REST OF US ON THE TEAM DOWN – SO EVEN AS EARLY AS THE 5TH/6TH GRADE – HARD WORK. SACRIFICE. PERSEVERENCE.
AS GORDY CONTINUED TO GROW TO REACH HIS 6’4” HEIGHT, HE BECAME A LITTLE MORE UNGAINLY, AND ATHLETICS TOOK A 2ND CHAIR TO MUSIC. HE BEGAN LEARNING HOW TO PLAY THE TRUMPET IN 5TH GRADE. HE CONTINUED TO PRACTICE THROUGH JUNIOR HIGH AND CONTINUED TO PLAY THROUGHOUT HIGH SCHOOL, PLAYING IN THE MARCHING BAND. OH HOW HE ENJOYED THE FRIENDSHIPS AND COMRADERIE OF BEING IN THE BAND. AS A MATTER OF FACT, I POSTED AN “IN MEMORIAM” PIECE ON OUR OLD HIGH SCHOOL CLASS WEBSITE, AND A COUPLE OF HIS BAND MATES POSTED MEMORIALS ON THE SITE OR SENT ME NOTES OF HOW GREAT A FRIEND AND BANDMATE HE WAS. THIS WAS AN EXPERIENCEE THAT HE WANTED THE KIDS TO ENJOY AS WELL AND LATER CAM AND CASSIE WOULD PLAY IN THEIR HIGH SCHOOL BAND. CASSIE STILL HAS GORDY’S TRUMPET. HOLD ONTO THAT FOR AWHILE, GIVEN OUR AGE, IT’S NOW AN ANTIQUE.
IN HIS HIGH SCHOOL YEARS, GORDY STARTED WORKING PART TIME IN THE LOCAL GROCERY STORE, BAGGING GROCERIES AND STOCKING SHELVES. WHEN HIS COLLEGE YEARS ROLLED AROUND, HE WORKED HIS WAY THROUGH COLLEGE WITH THOSE PART TIME JOBS IN THE GROCERY STORES, EARNING HIS TEACHING DEGREE. AGAIN – IT DIDN’T COME EASY BUT HE GRADUATED THROUGH HIS HARD WORK. SACRIFICE. PERSEVERENCE.
HE TAUGHT FOR AWHILE, BUT LEFT TO PURSUE A SALES CAREER IN GROCERY RELATED BUSINESSES, BUT HE’D NEVER REALLY SOLD ANYTHING BEFORE. SO HE TRAINED AND CONTINUED TO WORK HARD CULMINATING IN A SUCCESSFUL SALES CAREER. HE CONTINUED TO WORK HARD AND PERSEVERE AND EVEN REACHED A LEVEL OF EXPERTISE IN HIS SALES CAREER THAT HIS EMPLOYERS WOULD ASSIGN NEW SALESPEOPLE TO GORDY TO HAVE HIM TRAIN THE NEW PEOPLE. GORDY WOULD TRAIN THE NEW FOLKS TO THE BEST OF HIS ABILTY. OUT CAME THE HEART OF GOLD SO HE COULD HELP THEM SUCCEED. AGAIN, EXTRA HOURS OF HARD WORK. SACRIFICE. PERSEVERENCE. SO, BY NOW, HOPEFULLY, YOU’RE SEEING THE TREND ……
A PERSONAL STORY ABOUT HIS HEART OF GOLD –
SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE HEARD ME TELL THIS STORY BEFORE AND IF YOU’VE HEARD IT, I APOLOGIZE, BUT IT ILLUSTRATES WHO GORDY WAS –
GORDY WAS MY SAVIOR ON EARTH. AFTER COLLEGE I HAD BECOME A CIVILIAN EMPLOYEE OF THE DEPT. OF DEFENSE AND WAS LIVING IN COLUMBUS. AFTER WORKING IN COLUMBUS FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS – IT’S NOW SPRING OF 1980 – AND AT AGE 29 I WAS TOTALLY FRUSTRATED AT WORK, HAD MY FIRST MIDLIFE CRISIS AND SAID ENOUGH OF THIS STUFF AND QUIT. GORDY WAS LIVING IN CINCINNATI AT THE TIME AND AS A SALES REPRESENTATIVE FOR SCOTT PAPER – NO RELATION – AND, I CALLED UP MY FRIEND GORDY THE NEXT DAY I QUIT AND SAID, “GORDY, I JUST QUIT MY JOB. I’M JUST GOING TO MESS AROUND FOR AWHILE AND FIGURE OUT WHAT I WANT TO BE WHEN I GROW UP.” AFTER A PREGNANT PAUSE, GORDY SAID, “WELL, WHY DON’T YOU COME DOWN AND LIVE WITH ME!” I SAID, “GORDY, I CAN’T DO THAT. LIKE I SAID, I’M GOING TO MESS AROUND AND I’LL JUST BE IN YOUR WAY.” TO WHICH HE REPLIED, “NONSENSE, COME ON DOWN, YOU CAN MESS AROUND, AND WE’LL GET IT SORTED OUT.” A COUPLE OF WEEKS LATER I JOINED GORDY IN CINCINNATI.
I OWE EVERYTHING THAT I’VE DONE AND WHO I AM TO GORDY. I ADOPTED GORDY’S VALUES OF HARD WORK, SACRIFICE, AND PERSEVERENCE TO FINALLY GET MY ACT TOGETHER AND CARVE OUT MY OWN PATH. I HAD A GREAT REAL LIFE ROLE MODEL. WITHOUT HIM I’D PROBABLY BE IN THE OHIO PENITENTIARY OR REHAB SOMEWHERE!
ALSO, THE SUMMER OF 1980 WAS WHEN HE MET HIS WONDERFUL AND LOVING WIFE CONNIE WHO LIVED ACROSS THE STREET. A LASTING AND LOVING RELATIONSHIP THAT LASTED ALMOST 40 YEARS. THAT WAS A MEMORABLE SUMMER FOR A BUNCH OF REASONS WASN’T IT CONNIE?
THOSE VALUES OF HARD WORK, SACRIFICE, AND PERSEVERENCE STAYED WITH HIM AS HE BATTLED HIS DISEASE, DOING THE BEST HE COULD TO STILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE FAMILY UNIT IN ANY WAY HE COULD, PERSEVERING THROUGH THE PAIN AND INCONVENIENCE TO DO WHATEVER HE COULD FOR CONNIE, CAMERON AND CASSIE:
DRIVING THEM TO ALL OF THEIR EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES;
TAKING FRIENDS AND FAMILY OUT IN THE BOAT;
GOING TO BAND PRACTICES;
GOING TO BAND PERFORMANCES;
ATTENDING THE KIDS HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO; AND,
PERFORMING AS MANY HOUSEHOLD CHORES AS HE COULD, UNTIL HE COULDN’T ANY MORE.
WHEN HE FELL LAST SUMMER AND BROKE HIS RIBS, HE CONTINUED FIGHTING. AFTER A COUPLE OF DAYS HE WAS BUOYED BY THE FACT THAT HE COULD WALK PART WAY DOWN THE HALL AND BACK. HE STRUGGLED AND CONTINUED TO FIGHT THROUGH PHYSICAL THERAPY, ONLY TO END UP IN THE HOSPITAL A COUPLE OF MORE TIMES FOR DIFFERENT THINGS, THE FRUSTRATION MOUNTING.
GORDY MAY HAVE LOST HIS FINAL BATTLE, BUT IN MY ESTIMATION, HE WON THE WAR. TOILING THROUGH LIFE – SUCCESSFULLY EDUCATING HIMSELF; HAVING A GREAT AND REWARDING CAREER; BEING A LOVING HUSBAND, AN OUTSTANDING DAD AND BROTHER, AND A GREAT FRIEND TO MANY. GOD’S WORK!
A COUPLE OF FINAL POINTS –
IF YOU’LL ALLOW ME A QUICK COMMERCIAL – THE DISEASE THAT RAVAGED GORDY’S BODY – POLYMYOCITIS – IS AN EVIL DISEASE WITH STILL NO KNOWN CAUSE OR CURE. THE BEST THEY CAN DO TODAY IS FEABLY MANAGE SYMPTOMS. IF YOU HAVEN’T ALREADY, PLEASE OPEN YOUR HEART OF GOLD AND GIVE GENEROUSLY TO MYOCITIS.ORG, A 4-STAR RESEARCH FOUNDATION OF WHICH 90+% OF CONTRIBUTIONS GO TO PROGRAMS IN DRUG AND NON-DRUG RESEARCH WITH VERY LITTLE GOING TO OVERHEAD. YOU CAN TARGET YOUR DONATION SPECIFICALLY TO POLYMYOCITIS AND YOU CAN ALSO SPECIFY THAT IT BE USED STRICTLY FOR RESEARCH PURPOSES. TOGETHER MAYBE OUR DONATIONS MIGHT HELP, SO IF YOU HAVEN’T YET GIVEN ANYTHING, PLEASE HONOR GORDY WITH A DONATION TO THE MYOCITIS FOUNDATION. IF YOU HAVE ALREADY GIVEN, ON BEHALF OF CONNIE, THE KIDS, AND HIS SISTER CHERI, I THANK YOU.
FINALLY –
A MESSAGE TO YOU KIDS. YOU ARE YOUR MOM AND DAD’S LEGACY – AND I THINK THIS IS COMING FROM GORDY TOO BECAUSE I’M NOT WISE ENOUGH TO SAY STUFF LIKE THIS – BUT THERE WILL BE TIMES WHEN YOU SAY SOMETHING THAT YOU WILL HAVE HEARD YOUR MOM OR DAD SAY AND THINK “I REMEMBER MOM OR DAD SAYING THAT.” OR, YOU’LL BE STRUGGLING WITH A PERSONAL OR WORK DECISION – SOMETHING THAT’S REALLY PREYING ON YOUR MIND – AND ALL OF A SUDDEN A GREAT THOUGHT WILL POP INTO YOUR HEAD – SOMETHING THAT JUST COMES OUT OF THE BLUE – AND YOU’LL WONDER WHERE DID THAT COME FROM? TAKE A GUESS…….
SO YOUR MOM AND DAD HAVE PROVIDED THE ROLE MODELS FOR YOU AND INSTILLED IN YOU THE VALUES OF HARD WORK, SACRIFICE, AND PERSEVERANCE IN WHATEVER YOU DO. REST ASSURED, YOUR DAD WILL BE WITH YOU IN THOUGHT, WORD AND DEED AS YOU CONTINUE TO CARVE YOUR OWN PATHS. SO GO OUT AND LIVE LIFE TO THE FULLEST AND BE ALL YOU CAN BE ……
ECCLESIASTES TELLS US THERE’S:
“A TIME TO WEEP, AND A TIME TO LAUGH,
A TIME TO MOURN, AND A TIME TO DANCE . . .”
PLEASE, LET’S LAUGH AND DANCE. LET’S CELEBRATE GORDY’S LIFE BY BEING GLAD THAT HE ENRICHED OUR LIVES AS A HUSBAND, AS A FATHER, AS A BROTHER, AND AS A FRIEND.
I wish I would have know Gordy lived in Marietta, GA. I live in Acworth, GA, about 15 miles from Marietta, and I would have attended his service. I was in band with Gordy and remember how fun loving and down to earth he was. I even had a little crush on him. LOL We were also in the same home rooms since they were assigned alphabetically. I am so sorry hear about his health issues and I am sad to learn of his passing.
Dave - you presented a beautiful and hearfelt eulogy for Gordy.
Dave Schweibold
Jon Gordon (“Gordy”) Scott, age 68, of Marietta, Georgia, died peacefully at home surrounded by family and friends on February 23rd, 2019, after a lengthy illness. He is survived by his loving wife of 33 years Connie Weems-Scott, his son Cameron, age 20, his daughter Cassandra, age 20; his sister Cheri (Scott) Krumholz and husband Dr. Richard Krumholz of Sarasota, Florida; a niece Jill Guiberson, her husband Ryan and their daughters of Colorado Springs, Colorado. He was preceded in death by his parents John and Dorothy McCoy Scott of Beavercreek, Ohio.
Born and raised in Xenia, Ohio, he graduated from Xenia High School in 1968 and was a 1972 graduate of Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio. Upon graduation from Wright State he briefly taught elementary school in Xenia. He later became a very successful manufacturer’s sales representative for Scott Paper Company and C. Lloyd Johnson Company, a consumer goods company.
Known as “Gordy” to his family and friends he was an avid Ohio State Buckeyes fan and boat enthusiast. He would frequently take family and friends out on his boat water skiing/tubing or for a leisurely cruise on the water. He cherished his youthful memories of his 1966 Pontiac GTO. He was an accomplished woodworker, hand crafting all kinds of wood projects in his ShopSmith wood shop. His grilling/cooking skills and home baked pies were his trademark. His children were the light of his life and Gordy attended their many activities and band performances with the greatest pride. Together Gordy and Connie traveled extensively throughout the U.S. and internationally with laughter and joy, building a treasure trove of unique memories. Their children later joined in their passion for travel.
A celebration of life service will be held on Friday, March 22nd at 2:30 p.m. at Eastminster Presbyterian Church, 3125 Sewell Mill Road, Marietta, GA. The Family would like to invite everyone to a reception at the church immediately following the service.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in memory of Gordon to The Myositis Foundation online at https://www.myositis.org/donate/ or by mail to The Myositis Foundation, 1940 Duke St., Suite 200, Alexandria, VA 22314.
https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/woodstock-ga/jon-scott-8183194
Dave Schweibold
This is the eulogy that I gave at Gordy's Memorial Service on March 22, 2019 in Marietta, GA.
I AM DAVID SCHWEIBOLD. I NOW LIVE IN ST. PETE BEACH, FLORIDA. I’VE KNOWN GORDY SINCE KINDERGARTEN – SINCE WE WERE 5 YRS. OLD. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
GORDY AND I LITERALLY GREW UP TOGETHER – THERE WASN’T A DAY THAT WENT BY THAT WE DIDN’T PLAY TOGETHER AT RECESS; EAT LUNCH TOGETHER AT SCHOOL; WE’D RIDE OUR BIKES TOGETHER; WE PLAYED LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL TOGETHER; OUR DADS WOULD TAKE US TO CINCINNATI REDS GAMES TOGETHER; WE WENT TO MINOR LEAGUE PRO HOCKEY GAMES TOGETHER; WELL, YOU GET THE PICTURE – ALMOST INSEPARABLE GROWING UP – DOING ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT KIDS DO TOGETHER. SO BEGAN A LIFE LONG BOND THAT WOULD LAST FOR OVER 60 YEARS THROUGH THE TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS OF BOTH OF OUR LIVES. AND, IN THOSE 60 PLUS YEARS OF FRIENDSHIP, NEVER A CROSS WORD PASSED BETWEEN US.
WHEN CONNIE CALLED AND TOLD ME GORDY WAS GOING UNDER HOSPICE CARE, THE FIRST THING I PACKED WAS THE FAMILY BIBLE – 1952 VINTAGE. WHEN GORDY DID PASS AWAY, I NEEDED TO FIND SOME SOLACE SOMEWHERE, SO I OPENED THE BIBLE FOR THE FIRST TIME PROBABLY IN OVER 30 YEARS. SO WHEN THE THUNDER AND LIGHTNING STOPPED, I GOT TO THINKING, WHERE DO I EVEN START READING? GORDY AND I WERE BOTH HUGE MUSIC BUFFS SO GORDY – YES GORDY I’M CONVINCED – DIRECTED ME TO ECCLESIASTES 3 – A PASSAGE MADE FAMOUS BY A FOLK MUSIC COMPOSER WHO WROTE A SONG IN 1965 ADAPTED FROM IT AND I READ:
“FOR EVERYTHING THERE IS A SEASON, AND A TIME FOR EVERY MATTER UNDER HEAVEN: …..”
I READ THE POPULAR VERSES IN ECCLESIASTES 3 AND THEN DECIDED TO READ THE WHOLE CHAPTER FROM BEGINNING TO END TO PLACE THE 3RD CHAPTER IN CONTEXT. I’M OBVIOUSLY NOT A BIBLICAL HISTORIAN BY ANY STRETCH, BUT IT TURNS OUT IT’S A SOMEWHAT CYNICAL, SARDONIC ACCOUNTING BY A FORMER KING OF JERUSALEM ON HIS REIGN AND ON THE BEHAVIOR OF HIS PEOPLE. AND HE CONTINUALLY ASKS QUESTIONS THROUHOUT THE BOOK REGARDING THE MOTIVATION BEHIND PEOPLE’S WORK AND TOIL. AND I THOUGHT WITH THE SARCASM AND CYNICISM – THIS COULD HAVE BEEN WRITTEN BY GORDY!
FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT KNEW GORDY, HE HAD THIS SARCASTIC, CYNICAL SENSE OF HUMOR BUT IF YOU WERE ABLE TO CUT THROUGH THE CRUST ON THE OUTSIDE, INSIDE WAS A HEART OF PURE GOLD. GORDY WAS THE PERSONNIFICATION OF THE GOLDEN RULE – HE WOULD GIVE THE SHIRT OFF HIS BACK TO FAMILY, FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS. MORE ON THAT LATER.
IN ECCLESIASTES, THE WORD “TOIL” IS USED FREQUENTLY – I COUNTED 29 TIMES – AND I PROBABLY MISSED A COUPLE. IN CONTEXT, THE WORD “TOIL” IMPLIES THE SAME AS IT DOES TODAY – HARD WORK, STRUGGLE, SACRIFICE, AND PERSEVERENCE. IN LIFE, SOME THINGS CAME EASY FOR GORDY – LIKE BEING A LOVING HUSBAND; A DOTING FATHER TO CASSIE AND CAM; AND WORKING WITH HIS HANDS. THE MAN COULD BUILD OR FIX ANYTHING. HIS PRIDE AND JOY WAS HIS ’66 PONTIAC GTO – SILVER BLUE, 3 2-BARREL CARBURATORS, AND A HURST 4-SPEED TRANSMISSION ON THE FLOOR. 3-DEUCES AND A 4-SPEED AND A 389……JUST LIKE IN RONNY AND THE DAYTONAS SONG IN ’64 TITLED “LITTLE GTO”.
BUT THERE WERE ALSO MANY THINGS THAT DIDN’T COME EASY FOR HIM THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE THAT HE WOULD STRUGGLE WITH. HE WASN’T THE GREATEST SCHOLAR WHEN WE WERE YOUNG SO HE HAD TO STUDY HARDER THAN THE REST OF US TO MAKE GOOD GRADES. HE STRUGGLED WITH MATH ALL THROUGH SCHOOL. MATH HAPPENED TO BE ONE OF MY STRENGTHS SO IN GRADE SCHOOL AND JR. HIGH WE WOULD STUDY MATH TOGETHER FOR HOURS AND I SERVED AS A PSEUDO-TUTOR FOR HIM. THE HARDER WE WORKED, THE BETTER HIS GRADES GOT. HARD WORK. SACRIFICE. PERSEVERENCE.
GORDY AND I PLAYED SPORTS TOGETHER – FOOTBALL, BASKETBALL, BASEBALL – IN 5TH GRADE GORDY STARTED HITTING HIS GROWTH SPURT AND WAS ALMOST 6’ TALL ALREADY SO THE BASKETBALL COACH’S WIN STRATEGY WAS TO FEED GORDY IN THE CENTER AND HAVE HIM LAY IT IN OR SHOOT A HOOK SHOT. WE USED TO WORK ON BOTH OF THOSE FOR HOURS ON END USING THE BASKET MY DAD HAD PUT ON OUR GARAGE. THE HEART OF GOLD – HE DIDN’T WANT TO BE A BASKETBALL STAR, HE JUST DIDN’T WANT TO LET THE REST OF US ON THE TEAM DOWN – SO EVEN AS EARLY AS THE 5TH/6TH GRADE – HARD WORK. SACRIFICE. PERSEVERENCE.
AS GORDY CONTINUED TO GROW TO REACH HIS 6’4” HEIGHT, HE BECAME A LITTLE MORE UNGAINLY, AND ATHLETICS TOOK A 2ND CHAIR TO MUSIC. HE BEGAN LEARNING HOW TO PLAY THE TRUMPET IN 5TH GRADE. HE CONTINUED TO PRACTICE THROUGH JUNIOR HIGH AND CONTINUED TO PLAY THROUGHOUT HIGH SCHOOL, PLAYING IN THE MARCHING BAND. OH HOW HE ENJOYED THE FRIENDSHIPS AND COMRADERIE OF BEING IN THE BAND. AS A MATTER OF FACT, I POSTED AN “IN MEMORIAM” PIECE ON OUR OLD HIGH SCHOOL CLASS WEBSITE, AND A COUPLE OF HIS BAND MATES POSTED MEMORIALS ON THE SITE OR SENT ME NOTES OF HOW GREAT A FRIEND AND BANDMATE HE WAS. THIS WAS AN EXPERIENCEE THAT HE WANTED THE KIDS TO ENJOY AS WELL AND LATER CAM AND CASSIE WOULD PLAY IN THEIR HIGH SCHOOL BAND. CASSIE STILL HAS GORDY’S TRUMPET. HOLD ONTO THAT FOR AWHILE, GIVEN OUR AGE, IT’S NOW AN ANTIQUE.
IN HIS HIGH SCHOOL YEARS, GORDY STARTED WORKING PART TIME IN THE LOCAL GROCERY STORE, BAGGING GROCERIES AND STOCKING SHELVES. WHEN HIS COLLEGE YEARS ROLLED AROUND, HE WORKED HIS WAY THROUGH COLLEGE WITH THOSE PART TIME JOBS IN THE GROCERY STORES, EARNING HIS TEACHING DEGREE. AGAIN – IT DIDN’T COME EASY BUT HE GRADUATED THROUGH HIS HARD WORK. SACRIFICE. PERSEVERENCE.
HE TAUGHT FOR AWHILE, BUT LEFT TO PURSUE A SALES CAREER IN GROCERY RELATED BUSINESSES, BUT HE’D NEVER REALLY SOLD ANYTHING BEFORE. SO HE TRAINED AND CONTINUED TO WORK HARD CULMINATING IN A SUCCESSFUL SALES CAREER. HE CONTINUED TO WORK HARD AND PERSEVERE AND EVEN REACHED A LEVEL OF EXPERTISE IN HIS SALES CAREER THAT HIS EMPLOYERS WOULD ASSIGN NEW SALESPEOPLE TO GORDY TO HAVE HIM TRAIN THE NEW PEOPLE. GORDY WOULD TRAIN THE NEW FOLKS TO THE BEST OF HIS ABILTY. OUT CAME THE HEART OF GOLD SO HE COULD HELP THEM SUCCEED. AGAIN, EXTRA HOURS OF HARD WORK. SACRIFICE. PERSEVERENCE. SO, BY NOW, HOPEFULLY, YOU’RE SEEING THE TREND ……
A PERSONAL STORY ABOUT HIS HEART OF GOLD –
SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE HEARD ME TELL THIS STORY BEFORE AND IF YOU’VE HEARD IT, I APOLOGIZE, BUT IT ILLUSTRATES WHO GORDY WAS –
GORDY WAS MY SAVIOR ON EARTH. AFTER COLLEGE I HAD BECOME A CIVILIAN EMPLOYEE OF THE DEPT. OF DEFENSE AND WAS LIVING IN COLUMBUS. AFTER WORKING IN COLUMBUS FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS – IT’S NOW SPRING OF 1980 – AND AT AGE 29 I WAS TOTALLY FRUSTRATED AT WORK, HAD MY FIRST MIDLIFE CRISIS AND SAID ENOUGH OF THIS STUFF AND QUIT. GORDY WAS LIVING IN CINCINNATI AT THE TIME AND AS A SALES REPRESENTATIVE FOR SCOTT PAPER – NO RELATION – AND, I CALLED UP MY FRIEND GORDY THE NEXT DAY I QUIT AND SAID, “GORDY, I JUST QUIT MY JOB. I’M JUST GOING TO MESS AROUND FOR AWHILE AND FIGURE OUT WHAT I WANT TO BE WHEN I GROW UP.” AFTER A PREGNANT PAUSE, GORDY SAID, “WELL, WHY DON’T YOU COME DOWN AND LIVE WITH ME!” I SAID, “GORDY, I CAN’T DO THAT. LIKE I SAID, I’M GOING TO MESS AROUND AND I’LL JUST BE IN YOUR WAY.” TO WHICH HE REPLIED, “NONSENSE, COME ON DOWN, YOU CAN MESS AROUND, AND WE’LL GET IT SORTED OUT.” A COUPLE OF WEEKS LATER I JOINED GORDY IN CINCINNATI.
I OWE EVERYTHING THAT I’VE DONE AND WHO I AM TO GORDY. I ADOPTED GORDY’S VALUES OF HARD WORK, SACRIFICE, AND PERSEVERENCE TO FINALLY GET MY ACT TOGETHER AND CARVE OUT MY OWN PATH. I HAD A GREAT REAL LIFE ROLE MODEL. WITHOUT HIM I’D PROBABLY BE IN THE OHIO PENITENTIARY OR REHAB SOMEWHERE!
ALSO, THE SUMMER OF 1980 WAS WHEN HE MET HIS WONDERFUL AND LOVING WIFE CONNIE WHO LIVED ACROSS THE STREET. A LASTING AND LOVING RELATIONSHIP THAT LASTED ALMOST 40 YEARS. THAT WAS A MEMORABLE SUMMER FOR A BUNCH OF REASONS WASN’T IT CONNIE?
THOSE VALUES OF HARD WORK, SACRIFICE, AND PERSEVERENCE STAYED WITH HIM AS HE BATTLED HIS DISEASE, DOING THE BEST HE COULD TO STILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE FAMILY UNIT IN ANY WAY HE COULD, PERSEVERING THROUGH THE PAIN AND INCONVENIENCE TO DO WHATEVER HE COULD FOR CONNIE, CAMERON AND CASSIE:
WHEN HE FELL LAST SUMMER AND BROKE HIS RIBS, HE CONTINUED FIGHTING. AFTER A COUPLE OF DAYS HE WAS BUOYED BY THE FACT THAT HE COULD WALK PART WAY DOWN THE HALL AND BACK. HE STRUGGLED AND CONTINUED TO FIGHT THROUGH PHYSICAL THERAPY, ONLY TO END UP IN THE HOSPITAL A COUPLE OF MORE TIMES FOR DIFFERENT THINGS, THE FRUSTRATION MOUNTING.
GORDY MAY HAVE LOST HIS FINAL BATTLE, BUT IN MY ESTIMATION, HE WON THE WAR. TOILING THROUGH LIFE – SUCCESSFULLY EDUCATING HIMSELF; HAVING A GREAT AND REWARDING CAREER; BEING A LOVING HUSBAND, AN OUTSTANDING DAD AND BROTHER, AND A GREAT FRIEND TO MANY. GOD’S WORK!
A COUPLE OF FINAL POINTS –
IF YOU’LL ALLOW ME A QUICK COMMERCIAL – THE DISEASE THAT RAVAGED GORDY’S BODY – POLYMYOCITIS – IS AN EVIL DISEASE WITH STILL NO KNOWN CAUSE OR CURE. THE BEST THEY CAN DO TODAY IS FEABLY MANAGE SYMPTOMS. IF YOU HAVEN’T ALREADY, PLEASE OPEN YOUR HEART OF GOLD AND GIVE GENEROUSLY TO MYOCITIS.ORG, A 4-STAR RESEARCH FOUNDATION OF WHICH 90+% OF CONTRIBUTIONS GO TO PROGRAMS IN DRUG AND NON-DRUG RESEARCH WITH VERY LITTLE GOING TO OVERHEAD. YOU CAN TARGET YOUR DONATION SPECIFICALLY TO POLYMYOCITIS AND YOU CAN ALSO SPECIFY THAT IT BE USED STRICTLY FOR RESEARCH PURPOSES. TOGETHER MAYBE OUR DONATIONS MIGHT HELP, SO IF YOU HAVEN’T YET GIVEN ANYTHING, PLEASE HONOR GORDY WITH A DONATION TO THE MYOCITIS FOUNDATION. IF YOU HAVE ALREADY GIVEN, ON BEHALF OF CONNIE, THE KIDS, AND HIS SISTER CHERI, I THANK YOU.
FINALLY –
A MESSAGE TO YOU KIDS. YOU ARE YOUR MOM AND DAD’S LEGACY – AND I THINK THIS IS COMING FROM GORDY TOO BECAUSE I’M NOT WISE ENOUGH TO SAY STUFF LIKE THIS – BUT THERE WILL BE TIMES WHEN YOU SAY SOMETHING THAT YOU WILL HAVE HEARD YOUR MOM OR DAD SAY AND THINK “I REMEMBER MOM OR DAD SAYING THAT.” OR, YOU’LL BE STRUGGLING WITH A PERSONAL OR WORK DECISION – SOMETHING THAT’S REALLY PREYING ON YOUR MIND – AND ALL OF A SUDDEN A GREAT THOUGHT WILL POP INTO YOUR HEAD – SOMETHING THAT JUST COMES OUT OF THE BLUE – AND YOU’LL WONDER WHERE DID THAT COME FROM? TAKE A GUESS…….
SO YOUR MOM AND DAD HAVE PROVIDED THE ROLE MODELS FOR YOU AND INSTILLED IN YOU THE VALUES OF HARD WORK, SACRIFICE, AND PERSEVERANCE IN WHATEVER YOU DO. REST ASSURED, YOUR DAD WILL BE WITH YOU IN THOUGHT, WORD AND DEED AS YOU CONTINUE TO CARVE YOUR OWN PATHS. SO GO OUT AND LIVE LIFE TO THE FULLEST AND BE ALL YOU CAN BE ……
ECCLESIASTES TELLS US THERE’S:
“A TIME TO WEEP, AND A TIME TO LAUGH,
A TIME TO MOURN, AND A TIME TO DANCE . . .”
PLEASE, LET’S LAUGH AND DANCE. LET’S CELEBRATE GORDY’S LIFE BY BEING GLAD THAT HE ENRICHED OUR LIVES AS A HUSBAND, AS A FATHER, AS A BROTHER, AND AS A FRIEND.
THANK YOU.
Linda Simms (Williams)
I wish I would have know Gordy lived in Marietta, GA. I live in Acworth, GA, about 15 miles from Marietta, and I would have attended his service. I was in band with Gordy and remember how fun loving and down to earth he was. I even had a little crush on him. LOL We were also in the same home rooms since they were assigned alphabetically. I am so sorry hear about his health issues and I am sad to learn of his passing.
Dave - you presented a beautiful and hearfelt eulogy for Gordy.
Linda Simms Williams