Gordon first came to Allen’s Neck Friends Meeting while he was in college, around 1937-1938, when he first met Jean (Smith) whom he married in 1941. Although he had been raised an Episcopalian - and he always remained an Episcopalian in his heart - he became a member of Allen’s Neck Meeting when he got married. He contributed actively to the Meeting for the rest of his life, for almost seventy years.

Outside of Allen’s Neck Meeting, he was a teacher and then principal in New Bedford Public Schools, and then for over twenty years he worked to train future teachers at Southeastern Massachusetts University in Dartmouth, until he retired in the early 1980s.

At Allen’s Neck, he also was a teacher in our First Day School for many years. He taught both children and adults, who benefited from his skill as a teacher and his knowledge as a Bible scholar. Generations of his former students remember him fondly.

But, Gordon will mostly be remembered for his music. He began to provide music during our Meetings for Worship on Sunday mornings soon after he started coming to the Meeting. He served faithfully as pianist and then organist for over sixty years. The Meeting used a piano at first, then got an organ in 1959. Gordon played both with great skill. He played classical music for the preludes before worship, besides the hymns during worship. He often shared the history behind the special music he played. He also played hymns that were requested out of the silence during the worship, without advance warning – which is a challenge for any accompanist! Outside of the weekly worship, he also played for weddings and funerals at the Meetinghouse, serving many families within the Meeting and the surrounding community.

The Family of Margaret Douglas, who died, Saturday, April 22, 2006.

A memorial service will be held on Sunday, May 7, at 2:00 pm at West Falmouth Meeting.

Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 | Page 4 | Page 5 | May Calendar | Newsletters