Sidney Hamilton Gordon
March 10, 1935 ~ September 4, 2020
Born in:
Greensboro, NC
Resided in:
Asheville, NC
Sidney Hamilton Gordon (85) died on September 4, 2020 in Asheville, NC. He was born in Greensboro, NC to the late Walter Albert Gordon, Jr. and Mary Polk Gordon.
He is survived by his wife, Gloria Paschal Gordon; son, Bruce Gordon (Sarah) of Winchester, VA; daughter, Beth Gordon of Arden, NC; grandchildren, Robert, Matthew, Alexandra, and Elise (John); three great grandchildren, Benjamin, Theodore, and Magnolia; brother, Albert Gordon (Rose) of Lexington, VA, as well as many beloved nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, he is also predeceased by his great granddaughter, Daisy Stevens and sisters-in-law, Joan Paschal Mansfield and Jean Paschal Lippard.
Sidney graduated from Curry High School in Greensboro and earned his Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering degree at North Carolina State University and his Master of Science degree in Aerospace Management from the University of Southern California. At NC State, he was the “Wolf” his freshman year and later a cheerleader.
Upon graduation in 1958, he married Gloria Elizabeth Paschal. Their romance began during their Curry High School days and they enjoyed 62 years of a happy marriage.
He was commissioned a 2nd Lt. in the Air Force upon college graduation. After completing his three-year Air Force commitment, he attended Candler School of Theology at Emory University. During that time, he pastored four small Methodist churches on the Methodist Washington County Circuit in South Georgia. He was ordained a Deacon at the South Georgia conference of the Methodist Church in 1962, and his congregations were awarded “Circuit of the Year” at that conference. During the Cuban Missile Crisis, he returned to active duty in the Air Force and completed nearly 25 years of service, retiring as a full Colonel.
During his military career, he was an instructor in electronics, a Minuteman Missile Combat Crew Commander, a member of the test force for the FB-111 and ended his career in communications. His awards include the Legion of Merit and the Air Force Distinguished Service medal. He is a graduate of the Air Force Squadron Officers School, Air Command & Staff College, and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. After retiring from the Air Force, Colonel Gordon was an operations manager for Computer Sciences Corporation in northern Virginia for 17 years.
He was a life-long member of the United Methodist Church and served his church in many ways. Over the years, and at several churches, he served as Chairman of the Administrative Board, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Communion Steward, Usher, Stewardship Chairman, Choir member, Finance Chair, Teller, Sunday School teacher; and in his later years, as Property Chairman, when he spent many hours repairing the church building and parsonage. He especially loved working with youth and accompanying them on their mission trips to Mexico, New Orleans, Mississippi, Costa Rica, West Virginia and Virginia.
He enjoyed woodworking, stained-glass art, jitterbug dancing, clogging, playing racquetball, helping others, and fixing any and everything. A self-taught mechanic, he maintained and repaired his vehicles most of his life. He rebuilt the engines on two cars and once fixed his VW with a toothpick. He was known for his teasing and winsome sense of humor.
The family thanks the Givens Estates Health Center staff, Four Seasons Hospice nurses, and our special appreciation to Dr. Gloria Trujillo for her excellent care and compassion.
A private service of interment will be held at the Western Carolina State Veterans Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Resident Assistance Ministry, Givens Estates, 2360 Sweeten Creek Road, Asheville, NC 28803 or to Lake Junaluska Youth Ministry (www.lakejunaluska.com). Groce Funeral Home’s Lake Julian staff is assisting the family.
Services
Private Burial:
Western Carolina State Veterans Cemetery
962 Old US Hwy 70
Black Mountain, NC 28711
828-252-3535
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How often in a lifetime can you know someone who leads a congregation of believers, joins warriors in the sky, rejoices with children on a playground And retools an engine? Who stays married to a woman, connected to his children and devoted to his work for so many years? What impact does this person have on all those people around him, warmed by his glow? What do they carry forward? Who do they become? Who would we be without his presence, and when does that presence cool, if ever? gordon means “beloved” In some places, and Even more in others. So many blessed.
Beth, you had a wonderful father.
With God and angel Daisy.
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Dear Gloria, we miss you and send our love and prayers in these times. Sid was so helpful to our family. Love from the Grunin family- Susan, Howard, Jason and Justin
Rest in Peace Dear Sid.
Gloria, I you continue to feel his arms around you.
Remembering Sid’s beautiful spirit. Thinking of Sid brings such happiness to all our hearts. He did so much for others..adults and children. I remember Sid hanging the cross over the altar at Andrew Chapel. A life so well lived. Love and prayers to Gloria and family.
Sending prayers, love, strength and light…
Sid had a unique combination of faith, hope, humor, and friendliness that few people have. We look back on our time with Sid at Andrew Chapel and realize how blessed we were to know him and Gloria. He was often puttering around the church making repairs and put in time helping with the phone book deliveries that the youth did as a money-maker for several years. We feel blessed to have had Sid and Gloria as our friends during our years at Andrew Chapel.
Oh, yes, since Dan and I went to NC State for grad school, we also had the WolfPack connection with him.
God bless you, Gloria, and all your family! What a heritage you two have given them! We knew Sid from your time of involvement at Biltmore United Methodist Church. He would go on the youth mission trips and his knowledge and experience for fixing buildings and helping people sure came in handy. He had a nickname. He could think fast, move fast, laugh easily and kid with the best of them! He was like a kid with all the strength, courage, and like an adult with the experience of a good servant of his God who had lived life well. His nickname? “Sid the Kid” of course! He liked it because the kids gave it to him as a sign of affection and of respect. Great fellow!
My prayers are with Gloria and the Gordon family. I remember Sid and Gloria as part of our church family at Biltmore UMC.
My prayers are with Gloria and the Gordon family. I remember seeing them in worship at Biltmore UMC. I am not certain, but I have a vague memory that Sid and Gloria were part of our work team that went to Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina.
Sid was a great mentor and friend to us folks working in the Air Force communications business in the sixties through eighties. Our condolences to the Gordon family on the loss of a great Air Force officer and friend.
Members and Friends of the Air Force C4 Association.
Condolences and prayers to the Gordon family. Thank you for sharing this outstanding Air Force officer with the Nation!
Al and Jacquie Edmonds