William Edward Gordon Jr. and Gayle Louise (Thergesen) Gordon

NORTH CANAAN — William Edward Gordon Jr. and his wife, Gayle Louise (Thergesen) Gordon, both were stricken on Feb. 6, 2009, and passed away within hours of each other at Sharon Hospital.  

Bill was born July 27, 1937, in Sharon, the son of the late Marie (Dennis) and William E. Gordon.  

Gayle was born Oct. 15, 1951, in Massapequa, Long Island, N.Y., the daughter of Noreen (Denny) and Alfred Thergesen.

Bill was employed in the post office of The Hotchkiss School in Lakeville.  After leaving there he worked at Bicron, Stadium Systems and Geer, all in North Canaan, and with a local cleaning service.  

Gayle was employed at Stadium Systems in North Canaan.  

Bill was a member of the U.S. Marine Corps.  He was the Litchfield County commandant of the Department of Connecticut Marine Corps League and was the commandant of the Torrington Memorial Detachment #1142 Marine Corps League. At the state level, Bill would travel around the state to present classes at grammar schools in flag etiquette and to award scholarships to Eagle Scouts on behalf of the Marine Corps League.  

He recently was named as a pedigree Devil- Dog with the Hooch Pooch Hound Pound #141 CT Pack of the Military Order of the Devil Dogs and served as the senior vice pound leader.For the Department of Connecticut Pack he served as a watchdog.  

He was also a member of AARP and  the Sheffield American Legion Hall.  Gayle also served the Marine Corps League as a member of its auxiliary, where she held the office of junior vice.

Bill is survived by his daughters, Julieann M. Russ of West Cornwall and Crystal Rene Hagadone of Darlington, S.C.; his son, John Edward Gordon of North Canaan; his sister, Delores Carswell of Pennsylvania; and his grandchildren, Patrick Gordon of North Canaan, Charles and William Russ, both of West Cornwall, Tiffany, Victoria, Harley and Tristan Hagadone, all of Darlington, and Nolan Gordon of Canaan.  

Gayle is survived by her daughter, Crystal Rene Hagadone of Darlington; her stepdaughter, Julieann M. Russ of West Cornwall; her sisters, Joan DeVries and Aleta Begley, both of North Canaan, and Andrea Thergesen of Montana; and her grandchildren, Patrick Gordon of North Canaan and Tiffany, Victoria, Harley, and Tristan Hagadone of Darlington; and her two step-grandsons, Charles and William Russ of West Cornwall.

A memorial service with full military honors for Bill and Gayle will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 18, at 7 p.m. in the Newkirk-Palmer Funeral Home, 118 Main St., North Canaan, CT 06018.  

The family asks that memorial donations be sent to the National Iron Bank, Cornwall Bridge, CT 06754.  The donations will be used to establish a scholarship for Bill and Gayle’s grandson, Patrick.

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