A quote that seems to always come to mind in troubling or emotionally charged days …. “life is what happens while we are making other plans”. And so it is. I lost a great friend on April 18th! Just two days previous, we sat in the Gibson kitchen enjoying a morning coffee discussing the somewhat high risk surgery Gordon would be facing the following morning to remove a brain tumour. To keep the atmosphere light and positive, we discussed plans for our next adventure, possibly to Puerto Vallarta in the fall after his recovery. How quickly and with such abrupt finality life can change on a dime, despite the best laid plans.

All kinds of reflective moments just seem to have moved in during these last ten days since Gordon’s passing. Losing a friend I have known for almost fifty years leaves such a sad and empty feeling deep in the heart. Life takes on different hues when people we have shared so much of our lives with, loved and cared about, pass on to the other side! Gordon’s family lost an amazing patriarch. A kind, compassionate, loving, generous, gentle, honest, reliable, highly principled gentleman. I will miss his sense of humour, his sense of fun, his basic decency and oh my, how I loved discussions of all kinds with Gordon. He knew so much about the world around him and humbly shared his well researched thoughts and opinions about all manner of topics. I always learned something new …. my intellect receiving a welcome jolt of stimulation from these discussions.

Words seem to fall short to adequately share what I am feeling. Perhaps in time the words will flow. I will instead post pictures through the years with the three musketeers, something Mickey, Gordon and I so often called ourselves as we travelled around the world on so many wonderful adventures … we have hiked the coastal villages of the Cinque Terre, enjoyed the best goulash soup in Vienna, savoured coffee in a cafe along the old city walls of Dubrovnik, ‘galloped’ on camels in the sand dunes of Morocco to watch a desert sunset, walked the crumbly steps of the Great Wall of China …. and who could forget the sight of Gordon sashaying on stage at a fashion show in Turkey!! We had been touring a leather clothing factory with our Springbank travel group and the organizers regularly invite guests to participate and model the clothes for the fun event … who should volunteer but Gordon? There he was decked out in full leather, wig and heels! … his sense of humour fully engaged! In more recent years our travels together were mostly to La Quinta and Palm Desert, where we enjoyed many memorable moments walking in the Santa Rosa Mountains. Puerto Vallarta in Mexico was another favourite in our travels together as was Vancouver Island. Yes, the adventures have been many and varied. The three musketeers are now down to two 😪 … but Gordon’s spirit will travel on with us. At this point one would normally say something along the lines of ‘rest in peace’ but I think not!! Gordon, get that Matua Sauvignon Blanc chilled and get on with happy hour up there my friend … cheers 🥂

Captured some poignant moments at Gordon’s Celebration of Life at the Gibson home. A very emotionally moving day, many of us sharing stories and memories of Gordon through the years. There was much laughter and joy mingled with the inevitable tears as we shared and celebrated a life well lived. Gordon was loved by us all.