R Dean Gordon

On July 6, 2024, God cast his fishing line and caught a fisherman big enough to keep. R Dean Gordon was born on November 9, 1944, at Fitzsimons Army Hospital, Adams County, Colorado to Zane Hackett and Esther Dorothea Louise (Schmidt) Gordon, the first child born of five siblings, R Dean, Bruce Duane, Jean Esther, Joan El Louise and Zane Arthur Gordon. 

On February 4, 1945, he was received into the Christian faith through holy baptism at Emmaus Evangelical Lutheran Church in Denver, Colorado and later confirmed on April 10, 1960, at Ascension Lutheran Church in Littleton, Colorado.

 He attended Littleton public schools, and Denver Lutheran High School. In September 1965, at the age of 20, Dean enlisted in the United States Marine Corps serving several years in Vietnam. He returned stateside and was Honorably Discharged in September 1969. He often said that he enlisted in the USMC because of their dress uniform to impress the girls, but he never got to wear one! He felt the Marine Corps had made him a better man. 

After serving his country he had several jobs as an auto parts salesman and mechanic. Between 1970 and 1972 he worked at Western Electric Security as a security guard. From 1972 to 1980 he worked at the University of Colorado Medical Center in Denver as a Police Officer. In 1980 he became a Deputy in Corrections at the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office and retired as a Sergeant in July 2000.

 It was while working for the University Police that he met his future wife. On November 12, 1978, Dean was united in marriage to Judith Ann Stephens at Montview Boulevard Presbyterian Church in Denver, Colorado. 

In the early 1970's Dean became hooked on fly fishing and fly tying. He fished many rivers of the Western United States and especially loved family fishing trips to the Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. Over the years he tied thousands of flies, giving many to his fishing companions. 

R Dean Gordon, 79, passed away Saturday, July 6, 2024, at Sky Ridge Medical Center, Lonetree, Colorado. He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Judy, brothers Bruce and Art, his brother-in-law Dallas K. Stephens, Jr., and his sister-in-law Patricia L (Stephens) Tokarski. He was preceded in death by his parents, Zane and Esther, his twin sisters Jean Esther (Gordon) Thompson and Joan El Louise (Gordon) Welch, and his sister in-law, Janet Elizabeth Stephens. 

The  memorial service will be held Friday, October 11, 11 AM at Ascension Lutheran Church, 1701 W. Caley Avenue, Littleton, Co. 80120 ,followed by lunch at the church.. Please RSVP for the lunch by September  22nd to [email protected].  His Committal Ceremony takes place at 2:30 PM   at Ft. Logan National Cemetery. Enter by the Sheridan Entrance at 3698 S. Sheridan Blvd., Denver, 80235 and assemble at Staging Area B at 2:15 PM.  A cemetary representative will lead the car procession to the committal shelter  for the twenty minute ceremony.