George N.            Gordon, PhD

Dr George Gordon of 11 Dinglebrook Lane, Newtown, died in Danbury Hospital on March 10.

He is survived by his loving wife, Nancy, to whom he was married for 52 years; son, Harry of Los Angeles, Calif.; daughters, Diane, of Lake Leelanau, Mich., and Jennifer Gibbs of Harrison, N.Y.; and four grandchildren, David, Kimberly, Jessica, and Haley Gibbs.

George was a distinguished educationalist and spent his entire career teaching and writing.

A graduate of Yale Drama School, he left his acting and returned to New York University where he received his PhD in 1957 in the Communications Department.

Until 1966 he taught as acting department chairman at New York University’s Department of Communications.

He then taught at Hofstra University, Hempstead, Long Island, for 12 years, then for two years at Muhlenberg College, Allentown, Penn., where he set up a Department of Communications.

He returned to Hofstra for two more years as professor of the Communication Arts Department.

During this time Dr Gordon authored 20 books in his field and co-authored The Magical Mind with the late John Mulholland, in whose house he and his wife Nancy have lived in, in Newtown since 1987.

The last phase of his impressive career was at Fordham University, Rose Hill Campus, Bronx, N.Y., where he was chairman of the Communications Department from 1981 until his retirement in 1992.

He was also active in Radio Liberty, The American Civil Liberties Union, and Alcoholics Anonymous. He was a trustee in the General Service Office of AA for four years in the 1970s and was instrumental in the formation of the first AA Archives on behalf of the AA General Service Office in New York City.

George and Nancy (formerly of Adelaide, Australia) met and were married in 1950 and have lived in Newtown for 15 years at their Woodland home called “Gordon Haven.”

He will be missed deeply. He was cremated, and there are no services. The family requests there be no flowers.

George, the chipmunks will miss you. So will we all, Nancy, Jennifer, Diane, Harry, Kimberly, David, Jessica, Haley and Kevin Butler and family. In loving memory you will remain with us.

The Newtown Bee        March 14, 2003