[154] Gordon's interest was prompted by his religious beliefs, as he had become an evangelical Christian in 1854. Allah Himself is merciful to you". He was a very kind man and I was sorry to hear of his passing. [93], Gordon remained in the Equatoria province until October 1876. He also rented a small house in East Terrace for working boys to be taught for free. [156], Additionally, Baring's policy of raising taxes to pay off the debts Isma'il had run up sparked much resentment in both Egypt and the Sudan. OBITUARY George M. Gordon June 19, 1947 - September 11, 2022 - September 11, 2022 After an order is placed, our forestry partners will plant the tree in the area of greatest need (nearest the funeral home), according to the planting schedule for the year. He was present during the capture of Peking and at the destruction of the Summer Palace. [159], With public opinion demanding that Gordon be sent to the Sudan, on 16 January 1884, the Gladstone government decided to send him there, albeit with the very limited mandate to report on the situation and advise on the best means of carrying out the evacuation. [203], During NovemberDecember 1884, Gordon's diary showed the stressful effects of the siege, as he was in a state of mental exhaustion, a man on the brink of madness. Gordon". [195], On 4 September 1884, Gordon's fortunes took a turn for the worse when the most able of his subordinates, Mohammed Aly, together with about 1,000 of Gordon's best troops, were killed in an ambush while conducting a raid. It was a highly dangerous job that frequently put him under enemy fire, and led to him being wounded for the first time when a Russian sniper put a bullet into him. [232], Gordon's memory, as well as his work in supervising the town's riverside fortifications, is commemorated in Gravesend; the embankment of the Riverside Leisure Area is known as the Gordon Promenade, while Khartoum Place lies just to the south. George Gordons School of Law The importance of saying "I love you" during COVID-19, Effective ways of dealing with the grieving process, Solutions to show your sympathy safely during the Covid-19 pandemic. Gordon C. Shaffer age 98 of George, IA died Friday, December 31, 2021, at the Good Samaritan Society in George, IA. [258], More balanced biographies are Charley Gordon: An Eminent Victorian Reassessed (1978) by Charles Chenevix Trench and Gordon: The Man Behind the Legend (1993) by John Pollock. Southampton, where Gordon had stayed with his sister, Augusta, in Rockstone Place before his departure to the Sudan, erected a memorial in Porter's Mead, now Queen's Park, near the town's docks. [173] Gordon immediately confirmed Baring's fears as he started to issue press statements attacking the rebels as "a feeble lot of stinking Dervishes" and demanded he be allowed to "smash up the Mahdi". [115], In 1876, Egypt went bankrupt. It was removed in 1943. Gordon hoped to have the influential local leader, Sebehr Rahma, appointed to take control of Sudan, but the British government refused to support a former slaver. [106], Moreover, considerable progress was made in the suppression of the slave trade. May God be your strength and comfort. When oil mixes with water, we will mix together". [256], Another attempt to debunk Gordon was Anthony Nutting's Gordon, Martyr & Misfit (1966). Gordon's Sudanese servants later stated that Gordon for once did not go out armed only with his rattan cane, but also took with him a loaded revolver and his sword, and died in mortal combat fighting the Ansar. George was born August 4, 1948 in Chicago, Illinois to George and Sophie Gordon. [98], From Khartoum, he proceeded up the White Nile to Gondokoro. He is a glorious fellow!With his many faults, his pride, his temper, and his never-ending demand for moneybut he is a noble man, and in spite of all I have said to him or about him, I will ever think most highly of him. He was the widower of Kay Stull Gordon whom he married May 28, 1977, and preceded him in death on November 23, 2017. Celebrating the life of George Melvin Gordon [53], The Emperor promoted Gordon to the rank of tidu (: "Chief commander of Jiangsu province" a title equal to field marshal), decorated him with the imperial yellow jacket, and raised him to Qing's Viscount first class, but Gordon declined an additional gift of 10,000 taels of silver from the imperial treasury. The B.C. Messages run for up to one year and you Of Marton, formerly of Auckland. [39] These requirements led Staveley to choose Gordon. [83] Popular legend has it that Gordon and Gessi broke into the pasha's palace at night to rescue the girl, but the truth is less dramatic. [79] The South African minister, Dr. Peter Hammond, denied that Gordon was a homosexual, citing the numerous statements made by Gordon condemning homosexuality as an abomination, charging that the claim that Gordon was a homosexual was a theory with no foundation in fact. Liberal government delivered on Friday $3 million to the Omineca Beetle Action Coalition to be used during the next three years to implement a . Gordon assured the people of Khartoum in a speech delivered in his rough-hewn Arabic that the Mahdi was coming with his Army of Islam marching under their black banners, but to have no fear as here he would be stopped. [142] After meeting with him there, Hart described Gordon as "very eccentric" and "spending hours in prayer", writing that: "As much I like and respect him, I must say he is 'not all there'. [40] Gordon designed the uniform for the Ever Victorious Army, which consisted of black boots together with turbans, jackets, and trousers that were all green, while his personal bodyguard of 300 men wore blue uniforms. Gordon William Hatley - LeClair Cremation Centre, Midland. Following the Hyson was a fleet of 80 junks converted to gunboats. [12], Despite the popular demand to "avenge Gordon", the Conservative government that came into office after the 1885 election did nothing of the sort. [42], Gordon's task was made easier by innovative military ideas Ward had implemented in the Ever Victorious Army. [201] About half of the population took up his offer to promptly leave the city. George, an entrepreneur, piloted his own plane at the age of 18 and created a construction company specializing in the restoration of San Francisco's "painted ladies.". Jackie and Thomas Reinke | Obituaries | norfolkdailynews.com [219] During a meeting in 1898 in Cairo where Churchill interviewed Baring to gather material for his 1899 book The River War,[250] Baring challenged Churchill about his belief that Gordon was a hero. [187] In his final months, Gordon oscillated between a longing for martyrdom and death versus an intense horror at the prospect of his own demise as the hour of his destruction rapidly approached. [63] Gordon's closest friends were a couple, Frederick and Octavia Freese, whose son Edward, became Gordon's surrogate son. [99] Joining Gordon on the journey to Equatoria was his old friend Romolo Gessi and a former US Army officer, Charles Chaill-Long, who did not get along well with Gordon. Celebrate the life of George Gordon, leave a kind word or memory and get funeral service information. [102], Gordon had succeeded in establishing a line of way stations from the Sobat confluence on the White Nile to the frontier of Uganda, where he proposed to open a route from Mombasa. Funeral Home website by, Christensen Salmon Generations Funeral Home. [172] Powers, who acted as Gordon's unofficial press attach, wrote in The Times: "We are daily expecting British troops. [87], At the end of his Governor-Generalship of the Sudan, Gordon had to admit that he had been a failure, an experience of defeat that so shattered him that he had a nervous breakdown. George was a wise, strong, hardworking, and unfailingly kind man. May the happy memories give George's family peace and comfort during this challenging time. [21], Following the peace, he was attached to an international commission to mark the new border between the Russian Empire and the Ottoman Empire in Bessarabia. [90] During the American Civil War, when the Union blockade had cut off the American South from the world economy, the price of Egyptian cotton, known as "white gold" had skyrocketed as British textile mills turned to Egypt as an alternative source of cotton, causing an economic blossoming of Egypt that ended abruptly in 1865. My Prayers are with all your family especially Nancy and children and Grandchildren. [16] He was put to work in the Siege of Sevastopol and took part in the assault of the Redan from 18 June to 8 September. Peace be upon him. He was a committed and valued friend and colleague for over thirty years at Sterling Marking Products. Gordon was sickened by the poverty of the Irish farmers, which led him to write a six-page memo to the Prime Minister, William Gladstone, urging land reforms in Ireland. [88] Isma'il was a Muslim who loved Italian wine and French champagne, and many of his more conservative subjects in Egypt and the Sudan felt alienated by a regime that was determined to Westernise the country with little regard for tradition. George Gordon Obituary - Fort Worth, TX - Dignity Memorial Gordon agreed with Lord Elgin that after the Chinese authorities had murdered a group of British and French officers travelling under a white flag to parley that a reprisal was in order, but called the burning of the Summer Palace "vandal-like" and informed his sister in a letter that "it made one's heart sore" to burn it. We will forever be changed by both your life and your sudden absence in ours. [47] Gordon felt very uncomfortable commanding this force and at one point had to order the summary execution of one of his officers when the latter tried to take the Ever-Victorious Army over to the Taipings, who had offered a generous bribe for switching sides. Due to seasonal conditions, the tree planting takes place during the spring and summer. My sincerest condolences to the Gordon family for their loss. Gordon Hoekstra Apr 15, 2011 1:00 AM. [32] He arrived at Tianjin in September 1860. He was a devoted husband and a loving, tender, and selfless man who made many friends during his lifetime. [237], An identical statue by Thornycroftbut with the pedestal intactis located in a small park called Gordon Reserve, near Parliament House in Melbourne, Australia. [147] Gordon saw his work in building forts to protect Mauritius from a possible Russian naval attack as pointless, and his main achievement during his time there was to advise the Crown to turn the Seychelles islands, whose beauty had greatly moved Gordon, into a new crown colony as Gordon argued it was impossible to govern the Seychelles from Port Louis. He was a committed and valued friend and colleague for over thirty years at Sterling Marking Products. When I was 17 I started working, with George as my manager. [56] The British Army promoted Gordon to lieutenant-colonel on 16 February 1864,[57] and he was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath on 9 December 1864. Major-General Charles George Gordon CB (28 January 1833 - 26 January 1885), also known as Chinese Gordon, Gordon Pasha, and Gordon of Khartoum, was a British Army officer and administrator.He saw action in the Crimean War as an officer in the British Army.However, he made his military reputation in China, where he was placed in command of the "Ever Victorious Army", a force of Chinese . 95 THE REV. [178] Additionally, Gordon had guns and armoured plating attached to the paddle wheel streamers stationed at Khartoum to create his own private riverine navy that served as an effective force against the Ansar. This is the figure which, since April 1959, stands at the Gordon's School in Woking. He was always professional, approachable, kind, helpful and had an easy smile. George Gordon Obituary (1925-2021) - Grand Rapids Press [220] As late as 1901, on the anniversary of Gordon's death, The Times wrote in a leader (editorial) that Gordon was "that solitary figure holding aloft the flag of England in the face of the dark hordes of Islam". Find an Obituary. 23/01/2023. [87], Gordon had come into conflict with the Egyptian governor of Khartoum and Sudan over his efforts to ban slavery. George was predeceased by his father, and is survived by his mother. George Folk Obituary (1938 - 2023) - Findlay, OH - The Courier [96] Isma'il Pasha told Gordon that he wished to expand Equatoria into the rest of Uganda, with the ultimate aim of absorbing the entire Great Lakes region of East Africa into the empire that Isma'il wanted to build in Africa. [45] The next day, Quinsan fell to the 4th Regiment, which led a proud Gordon to write: "The rebels did not know its importance until they lost it". There was a secret "ultra" faction in the War Office led by Wolseley that felt that the Liberal government was too inclined to withdraw from various places all over the globe at the first sign of trouble, and who were determined to sabotage the withdrawal from the Sudan. [143] Although the Qing court rejected Gordon's advice to seek a compromise with Russia in the summer of 1880, Gordon's assessment of China's military backwardness and his stark warnings that the Russians would win if a war did break out played an important role in ultimately strengthening the peace party at the court and preventing war. I know if I was chief I would never employ myself for I am incorrigible". George was a 1957 graduate of Findlay High School. He was first and foremost a passionate follower of Jesus Christ and lived his life in humble but firm faith, pressing on towards the upward call he felt from a young age. [146] On the island of Praslin in the Valle de Mai, Gordon believed that he found the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil in the form of a coco de mer tree which fruit bore a close resemblance to a woman's body. [224] This symbolic decapitation echoed General Gordon's death at the hands of the Mahdist forces in 1885. The Mahdi contemptuously rejected Gordon's offer and sent back a letter demanding Gordon convert to Islam. [172] Baring disapproved of sending Gordon to the Sudan, writing in a report to London that: "A man who habitually consults the Prophet Isaiah when he is in a difficulty is not apt to obey the orders of anyone". The best supporter & best trusted in a crisis. [199] "The reading public wanted heroes, it wanted to read about one lone Englishmen sacrificing himself for glory, honour, God, and the Empire. [12], Gordon was first assigned to construct fortifications at Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, Wales. [218] Stones were thrown at the windows at 10 Downing Street as Gladstone was denounced as the "Murderer of Gordon", the Judas figure who betrayed the Christ-like figure of Gordon. After meeting Gordon in 1874, the Khedive Isma'il had said: "What an extraordinary Englishman! The Mahdi is a messianic figure in Islam which tradition holds will appear at the dawn of every new (Islamic) century to strike down the enemies of Islam. [172], After arriving in Khartoum, Gordon announced that on the grounds of honour, he would not evacuate Khartoum, but rather, would hold the city against the Mahdi. Nutting made the controversial claim that the basis of Gordon's death wish was that he was gay, noting that Gordon never married, is not known to have had a relationship with any women, and often wished that he had been born a eunuch, which strongly suggested that Gordon wished to have no sexual desires at all. [201] A note written by Gordon and dated 14 December was sent out by a messenger from Khartoum, who reached Wolseley's army on 30 December 1884. [93], Reflecting these realities, Gordon had to undertake much of the administrative work himself, travelling ceaselessly and constantly all over the Sudan via camel in attempts to make the bureaucracy actually obey his orders, something that occurred when he was present, but stopped as soon as he left. Among his best-known works are the lengthy narratives Don Juan and Childe Harold's Pilgrimage; many of his shorter lyrics in . Write your message of sympathy today. Gordon then took his force through the country, seizing towns until, with the aid of Imperial troops, capturing the city of Suzhou in November. JAMIE WYBLE OBITUARY. GORDON, George Colburn. When he and his wife started attending Summerside Church this year, I was blessed to meet him in person. We always teased each other on and off the ice Im really going to miss you George. He is superior in manner and bearing to any of the foreigners whom I have come into contact with, and does not show outwardly that conceit which makes most of them repugnant in my sightWhat an elixir for a heavy heart-to see this splendid Englishman fight! Im so grateful that my sister and nephews had such a wonderful father-in-law and grandpa. [104] Gordon chose not to meet Muteesa himself, instead sending his chief medical officer, a German convert to Islam, Dr. Emin Pasha, to negotiate a treaty wherein in exchange for allowing the Egyptians to leave the Buganda, the independence of the kingdom was recognised. [96] Gordon was not impressed with the forces of the Egyptian state. Obituary | George G. Gordon of Indianapolis, Indiana | Matthews Mortuary Faught also pointed out that the first hints that Gordon might secretly have been having sex with the boys of the Fort House were made by Lytton Strachey in his book Eminent Victorians (published 1918) which, in Faught's opinion, may have said more about Strachey than it did about Gordon. Share Your Memories and Sympathies and Join the Bereaved! Prince George Obituaries - Prince George Citizen [40] In a 2008 article, Stallard argued that Chinese historiography has largely neglected Gordon, which Stallard felt was undeserved. Unexpectedly at home on Wednesday 25th January 2017. He. Mark Urban argued that Gordon's final stand was "significant" because it was "a perversion of the democratic process" as he "managed to subvert government policy", making the beginning of a new era where decision-makers had to consider the power of media. Second only to his faith, was the great joy George found in his family. [96] This bold move proved successful, as one chief then another pledged his loyalty to the Khedive, including Suleiman Zobeir himself, though the remainder retreated to the south. The true joy of Georges life were his five beloved and oftentimes spoiled grandchildren: Maeve, Emmett, Isla, Felicity, and Nixon. George Gordon Obituary Given that Gordon himself in his interview with Stead had stated: "The moment it is known that we have given up the game, every man will go over to the Mahdi", his decision to reveal that the Egyptians were pulling out remains inexplicable. . [37] After its surrender, Gordon personally guaranteed that any Taiping rebel who laid down his arms would be humanely treated. Words cannot express how saddened we are to learn of George's sudden loss. Exhausted, he resigned and returned to Europe in 1880. Mr. Pinsent, who was long famous in Canada, but who did not gain wider international recognition until one of his final performances, in the 2006 film "Away From Her," died on Feb. 25 in . It arrived two days after the city had fallen and Gordon had been killed. George Gordon Obituary Login or Sign-up to show all important data, death records and obituaries absolutely for free! [139], Gordon went to Beijing and used all his influence to ensure peace. 2023 from 11:00 a.m. until Funeral Service at 1:00 p.m. Interment will follow at St. George Cemetery, 7808 St. George Way off Siegen Lane. February 2, 2023 [47] Gordon was thus powerless when the Imperial forces executed all of the Taiping POWs, an act that enraged him. Peacefully, in Migdale Hospital, Bonar Bridge, on Saturday, 18th February, 2023, Robert "Bobby" George Bain, The Bungalow, Lower Gledfield Farm, Ardgay. (151 W George St, Batesville, IN 47006). George Thomas GORDON. (for "Grand Old Man"), to "M.O.G." I wish his family peace and beautiful memories. Geoffrey FitzClarence, 3rd Earl of Munster - Wikipedia Nutting's book was noteworthy as the first book to argue that Gordon had a death wish. [194] Though the telegraph lines to Cairo were cut, Gordon used the remaining telegraph lines to build his own telegraph network within Khartoum linking the men holding the walls of Khartoum to the Governor-General's palace, thus keeping him well-informed of what was happening. He was predeceased by : his parents, Charles Ross and Sara Tabener Ross; his siblings, William Ross, Charles Ross and Betsy Ross Meyer; and his siblings-in-law, Delleney Ruff and Melinda Ruff. [195], It took considerable time to hire the voyageurs in Canada and bring them to Egypt, which delayed the expedition. Suddenly at home on Wednesday 25 January 2017; aged 86 years. [35] The British arrived at a crucial time. "[247], Such was the popularity of Gordon that the first critical book by a British author was not published until 1908, when Baringby this time raised to the peerage as Viscount Cromerpublished his autobiography, which was notable as the first British book to portray Gordon in an unflattering manner, though Lord Cromer also tried to be fair and emphasised what he felt were Gordon's positive, as well as his negative, traits. Karen and I were shocked and saddened to hear of Georges passing. [257] Behrman wrote that the first part of Nutting's thesis, that Gordon had a death wish, is generally accepted by historians, but the second part, that Gordon was homosexual, is still the subject of much debate. [103] A major problem for Gordon was malaria, which decimated his men, and led him to issue the following order: "Never let the mosquito curtain out of your sight, it is more valuable than your revolver". Dirk attended Lutie and Gainesville schools, St. Pauls of Concordia, Mizzou in Columbia and School of the Ozarks. and, like Lawrence, I have tried to do my duty. He was first and foremost a passionate follower of Jesus Christ and lived his life in humble but firm faith, pressing on towards the upward call he felt from a young age. He is greatly missed by all who were touched by his intellectual kindness. [93], Typical of the men that Khedive Isma'il Pasha hired was Valentine Baker, a British Army officer dishonorably discharged after being convicted of raping a young woman in England that he had been asked to chaperon. When considering a Mississippi governor's race, I often think of those people who never entered a political election, wishing they had for the state's sake. [39] Unlike Ward and Burgevine, Gordon realised that the network of canals and rivers that divided the Chinese countryside were not obstacles blocking an advance, but were rather "arteries" for allowing an advance as Gordon decided to move his men and supplies via the waterways. Gordon then returned to Khartoum, and went again into Darfur to suppress the slave traders. The Reverend Reginald Barnes, who knew him well, describes him as "of the middle height, very strongly built". There they found four gunboats which had been sent north by Gordon four months earlier, and prepared them for the trip back up the Nile. You can then forward the email to the family or print it and give it to them personally. [159] The Ansar captured a large number of Remington rifles and ammunition cases together with many Krupp artillery guns and their shells. Those wishing to make a donation in memory of George are asked to consider Compassion Canada. Gordon is survived by his three children Scott, Dana and Whitney, His sister Dee and three step sons Bob, Kirk and Jeff, and "eight of the best grandkids . [2], Gordon grew up in England, Ireland, Scotland, and the Ionian Islands (which were under British rule until 1864) as his father was moved from post to post. [121] After several months of chasing Zobeir, Gessi and Gordon met at the village of Shaka in June 1879 when it was agreed that Gessi would continue the hunt while Gordon would return to Khartoum. At the beginning of 1884, Gordon had no interest in the Sudan and had just been hired to work as an officer with the newly-established Congo Free State. [148] Gordon was promoted to major-general on 23 March 1882. [219] Wolseley, who had been led to believe that his expedition was the initial phase of an operation to re-conquer the Sudan, was furious, and in a telegram to Queen Victoria contemptuously called Gladstone "the tradesman who has become a politician". Praying for you Nancy and family. During his time in London, he was approached by Sir William Mackinnon, an enterprising Scottish ship owner who had gone into partnership with King Leopold II of the Belgians with the aim of creating a chartered company that would conquer central Africa, and wished to employ Gordon as their agent in Africa. Let them take an idea into their heads and nothing will take it out. He claimed that his army service and frequent travels to dangerous places made it impossible for him to marry. Their wishes for cremation have been honored. know George was a good and faithful servant of the Lord , and our parting will only be for a little while. We will strive to make you proud, and continue the Gordon legacy of faith you began. [244], Charlton Heston played Gordon in the 1966 epic film Khartoum, which deals with the siege of Khartoum. It underwent a series of name changes until 1941 when it moved to its current location in Bloomburg Street, Westminster, as the Gordon Hospital. [245] The British historian Alex von Tunzelmann criticised the film for portraying Gordon and the Mahdi regularly meeting and as frres ennemis, though she added that it is true that Gordon and the Mahdi did exchange letters. In early 1884, Gordon was sent to Khartoum with instructions to secure the evacuation of loyal soldiers and civilians and to depart with them. [71] The Dictionary of National Biography described Gordon as a great "boy lover". He was warm, steadfast, and peaceable. Dr. Gordon. The mandarins were thus much inclined to execute not only Taipings, but also their spouses, children, parents, and siblings as being all equally guilty of treason. Lorraine was born June 16, 1928 in Rochester the daughter of John and Edna (Brugger) Angie. Gordon's willingness to renounce his British citizenship in order to fight with China in the event of war did much to raise his prestige in China. When the news of the defeats reached Ansar besieging Khartoum, terrible cries of lamentation rose from the besieging force, which led Gordon to guess that the Ansar had been defeated in battle and that Wolseley must be close. Second only to his faith, was the great joy George found in his family. Always kind Family and friends are welcome to leave their condolences on this memorial page and share them with the family. [40], No monuments to Gordon exist in China today, though the British journalist Rob Stallard noted that the modest Gordon would have no doubt wanted it that way. [114] In his worn-out state, Gordon had some sort of religious rebirth, leading him to write to his sister Augusta: "Through the workings of Christ in my body by His Body and Blood, the medicine worked. I fear I have not even tried to play battledore and shuttlecock with them. [146] Besides championing land reform in Ireland, Gordon spent the winter of 188081 in London socialising with his family and his few friends, such as Florence Nightingale and Alfred Tennyson. [40] Gordon's bravery in battle, his string of victories, apparent immunity to bullets and his intense, blazing blue eyes led many Chinese to believe that Gordon had supernatural powers and had harnessed the Qi (the mystical life-force traditionally believed in China to govern everything) in some extraordinary way. [46] After the battle, Gordon was hailed as a liberator from the Taipings by the ordinary Chinese people. Beloved husband of the late Sylvia, father of Stan (Rena Singer), adored brother of the late Hilda, Ruth, Lily, Bertha and Celia. [127], The intensely religious Gordon had been born into the Church of England, but he never quite trusted the Anglican Church, instead preferring his own personal brand of Protestantism. Obituaries - Smith's Funeral Homes [238], The Corps of Royal Engineers, Gordon's own Corps, commissioned a statue of Gordon on a camel. [65], Faught maintained that Gordon was a heterosexual whose Christian beliefs led him to maintain his virginity right up to his death, because he believed that sexual intercourse was incompatible with his faith. He was named for a prominent lawyer and Tammany Hall leader. [187][197] Gordon received a letter from the Mahdi taunting him over the murders of his friends Powers and Stewart, warning that he would be next if he did not surrender. GEORGE GORDON OBITUARY GORDON, George Colburn. Acton, NH George E. Gordon, 69 of Acton, Massachusetts, passed away peacefully on Sunday, June 26, 2022, after a long period of declining health at Lahey Clinic Medical Center in Burlington,. [59] Gordon disapproved of the forts he was building at the mouth of Thames to guard against a possible French invasion, regarding them as expensive and useless. [83] Gordon and Gessi demanded that Ahmed Pasha allow them to meet the girl alone, had their request granted after much arm-twisting, and then met the girl, who ultimately revealed she wanted to go home.