Former Sanders Employee Dies at 76

Duane "Babe" Currier Gordon Jr. CPO-U.S.N, 76, died on February 25, 2014 at Heritage Hall, Front Royal, VA, after an extended illness.

He was born on October 18, 1937 in Penacook, NH to the late Duane C. and Marion R. (Miner) Gordon, Sr. of Merrimack, NH. 

He attended Merrimack, NH schools and was employed by the New Hampshire Plating Company in Merrimack, NH until he enlisted in the US Navy on 8/23/1956. He completed his basic training at the US Training Center, Bainbridge, MD. He was an aviation electrician throughout his military career, serving on many bases in the U.S., as well as Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and the U.S. Naval Air Station in Agana, Guam. He served on the aircraft carriers, the USS Bon Homme Richard CVA-31 and the USS Bennington CVA-31.

After retiring from the Navy, he obtained a NH master electrician's license, making him a third generation electrician with the family business of Duane C. Gordon, Sr. Electrical Contractor. He was also employed by Sanders Associates, in Nashua NH, and later returned to the Washington, DC area where he was employed as a logistics engineer. He earned an Associates degree in business from Charles County Community College, LaPlato, MD.

Duane and his surviving wife Nora enjoyed traveling around the country making many new friends along the way. 

He is also survived by daughters, Melanie R. DeZenzo and husband Robert D. of Sanford ME, Rosalyn C. Smith and husband Stephen L. of Manchester PA, their mother, Pauline C. Gordon of Manchester, NH; daughter, Lynne Marie Gordon and her mother Susan G. Miller of Richmond, VA; five step-children, Richard Keyes Jr. and wife Laura, Kimberly Pearson and husband Donald, Scot Keyes and partner Scott, Todd Keyes and wife Peggy, and Randy Keyes, all of the Manchester Center VT area; sister, Shirley M. Gordon of Merrimack, NH; sister-in-laws, Leona Squires, Lila Wilcox, Cecile King and Donna Parker and brothers-in-law Orrin, Kenneth, Herbert, and Richard Hewes, all of the Manchester Center VT area; five grandchildren, Steven A. DeZenzo, Jennifer R. Chadbourne and husband Matthew C., Briana R. Smith, Corporal Blaine A. Smith, Case Madison Dawkins and several step-grandchildren. 

He was predeceased by a son, Kenneth Duane Gordon; three sisters, Alice Campbell, Nancy Mc Roberts, and Carolyn Levesque; and a mother-in-law, Cecilia Shorewood.

A funeral service, with full military honors by the VFW Post 2120 will be held Saturday, March 15, 2014, at 2 p.m. at Maddox Funeral Home in Front Royal, VA. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service.

Memorial contributions may be made in his memory to the American Cancer Society , 2654 Valley Ave., Suite B, Winchester, VA 22601, or the American Diabetes Association , P.O. Box 11454, Alexandria, VA 23058.