Ken Gordon's father passed away

[Hawkeye-X]

FYI: He is my State Senator, and he keeps us informed.. A wonderful man, and he passed along his email.








Dear Friends:



My father passed away on November 23.



He was born in Detroit on March 30, 1925. He was a first generation American. His parents had only recently come from the Ukraine, where his mother's family had been practically wiped out by anti-Semitic pogroms. My dad's father had fought in the Russian Army during the First World War and had been a prisoner of war. Like so many others seeking a better

life free from religious and other forms of oppression they came to the United States



They came to the United States with nothing. My grandfather first made a living selling fruit and vegetables off a cart. Later he sold used clothing at the gates of the auto plants and eventually opened clothing stores.



My father grew up in Detroit during the Depression. When he was 18 he joined the Army and served as a corporal in the Pacific theater during World War II. He drove an amphibious tractor that was used for landings on Japanese held islands in the South Pacific. He was part of Douglas MacArthur's army that liberated the Philippines from the Japanese.



After the war, my father returned to Detroit and married my mother, Marion Gross, on December 25, 1947. He attended the Detroit College of Law on the G.I. bill, receiving his Bachelor of Law degree in 1951. ( I am looking at the graduating class photograph now. It looks like there were three women and 97 men.) In order to make ends meet, my father took a job selling homes. During his stint as a real estate broker, he met his future business partner, Louis Begin. My father and Mr. Begin founded the Gordon-Begin Company, which built homes in Livonia, Michigan, apartments in Madison Heights, and later, commercial real estate in Michigan and Florida.



My parents have three children. I am the eldest, followed by my sisters Patti and Wendy. There are three grandchildren: Windy, Ben, and Daniel.



My sister called me the morning of the 23rd to tell me to get to Florida as soon as I could. I called my daughter to tell her that her grandfather was dying, and in the same phone call she told me that she was pregnant. This ironic, circle-of-life experience has comforted me. It makes me feel that things are happening the way they are supposed to. She is going to name the child after my father.



My father died while I was on the plane. It was his time.



My father was a generous man. He funded an annual need-based scholarship for minority students at the Detroit College of Law. He contributed to numerous other charities as well.



In keeping with the spirit of my father’s generosity, I would like to honor his memory by continuing a cause that was important to him. I have set up the Harold Gordon Law Diversity Scholarship fund at the University of Colorado Law School. It is similar to what my father did for the Detroit College of Law in that it is intended to increase racial and ethnic diversity at the school.



If you would like to make a contribution, please send your check payable to The University of Colorado Foundation, 401 University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, 80309. In the memo section write "Harold Gordon Law Diversity Scholarship." My family will match contributions. There are no administration fees. One hundred percent of all donations go to scholarships for students.



My father once gave me this advice. He said, "It isn't that successful business people are smarter than other people. They just go to work every day and do what needs to be done."



My father was a successful man who created a successful business. He provided for his family. He defended his country.



What I know about being a man, I know from being his son.



Rabbi Foster is going to include my father's name in the Kaddish, Friday, December 2nd at Temple Emanuel, 50 Grape Street. I will be at the 7:30 P.M. service.



I hope you and your families are well.





Ken









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Senator Ken Gordon
Web: www.kengordon.com
Email: [e-mail]
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