Obituary of Mary Gordon

Mary Lettie Pitts Gordon, Educator, golfer, master bridge player Mary was born August 1, 1923 to James A. and Mary L. Pitts, in Pittsburgh, PA. She died peacefully on Friday, March 10, 2006, after a brief hospitalization in Rochester NY. She was 82 years old. Mary graduated from Westinghouse High School in Pittsburgh and matriculated to Bennett College in Greensborough, NC. She met her future husband and later transferred to Howard University where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology in 1945. On August 25, 1945 Mary married the late Dr. Frederick D. Gordon of Washington, DC. They initially lived in Albany NY before settling in Buffalo, NY in 1950. After several years of child rearing she returned as a reading specialist in the Plus Program of the Buffalo Public School system. She later became a college level reading specialist and communication teacher at the Educational Opportunity Center of the SUNY at Buffalo, and served in that capacity for 20.years before retiring in 1985. Mary was a charter and lifetime member of the Buffalo chapter of The Girlfriends Inc. She was active until shortly before her death. Likewise, Mary was a member of Lincoln Memorial United Methodist Church since 1950, a church her entire family attended. Mary was an avid bridge player for fun, as well as playing Tournament Bridge. She earned the tournament points necessary to become a master in the American Bridge Association. As such she belonged to several bridge clubs. A family oriented woman, Mary not only encouraged her four children to advanced college degrees, she was instrumental in the rearing of all of her grandchildren. She loved the company of her husband, Fred and not only learned the game of golf, becoming a good golfer herself, but also became knowledgeable about football earning a t-shirt for successful completion of "Football for Women", a mini course offered by the Buffalo Bills. She cared for her mother in her later years, until her mother's death in 1964. Mary Gordon is survived by Frederick D. Gordon Jr. of Buffalo, NY, Dr. Colleen M. Gordon, of Rochester NY, Dr. Stephen W. and Vera B. Gordon, of Las Vegas, NV; David A. and Leisha G. Gordon, of Buffalo, NY and a Sister- in- Law, Ruth White of San Jose California. She also leaves to cherish her memory her grandchildren Christopher, Stephanie, Kyla, David Jr., Christina, and Victoria Gordon and Stephen and Evan Kendall, and Kamau Jackson and a host of nieces, nephews, and friends.