Individual Details
Charles Edwin Gordon
(January 14, 1940 - March 23, 2003)
Former St. Leo chief Charles Gordon dies Series: DADE CITY
St. Petersburg Times; St. Petersburg, Fla.; Mar 25, 2003; BRIDGET HALL GRUMET;
Full Text:
Copyright Times Publishing Co. Mar 25, 2003
(ran PC edition of PASCO TIMES)
Charles "Charlie" Gordon, longtime St. Leo police chief and a fixture in east Pasco County, died Sunday evening (March 23, 2003) at Pasco Regional Medical Center. He was 63. Mr. Gordon had been fighting a decadelong battle with diabetes, and his family took him to the hospital Sunday morning when he took a turn for the worse. His heart gave out about 8 p.m. "We knew it was coming," his son, Ricky Gordon, said. "It was a little sooner than we expected." The elder Mr. Gordon wore a law enforcement badge for 34 years, starting as a deputy with the Pasco County Sheriff's Office. But most of his career was spent in St. Leo, where he was the town's police chief for about 25 years until the force was disbanded in 1992 to save money. Residents say Mr. Gordon thrived on community police work: chatting with people, serving as a mentor to young adults and keeping a friendly eye on the neighborhood kids.
Mr. Gordon was born in Brooker, a town about 20 miles north of Gainesville.
He served in the Air Force but spent most of his life in east Pasco County.
During much of his tenure as police chief, Mr. Gordon was also director of security for Saint Leo College, now Saint Leo University. Often he dealt with students who were away from home - and getting in trouble - for the first time. Sometimes he tried to teach first-time offenders a lesson without giving them an arrest record. For example, an underage student caught drinking might find himself picking up trash on campus for two weeks, not spending the night in jail. "He's the one who would look for a way to salvage somebody," said Bob Cabot, a Saint Leo graduate now serving as Dade City's fire chief. Mr. Gordon was a close friend and mentor to Cabot, serving as his police academy sponsor. In fact, Mr. Gordon helped bring police academy classes to Saint Leo in the late 1960s, although the courses have since been moved to Pasco-Hernando Community College, Cabot said. In the early 1970s, before the county established its own ambulance system, Mr. Gordon also started the campus' own rescue squad.
"He was a pioneer in a lot of ways," Cabot said. After St. Leo dismantled its police force, Mr. Gordon came to the Dade City Police Department. He served as captain of the patrol division until he retired in 1998. "He was captain," Dade City police Chief Phil Thompson said, "but I always referred to him as chief."
Mr. Gordon leaves behind a wife, Virginia; three sons, Alan, Ricky and Ben, and two daughters, Carla Gordon and Rita McDougal, all of St. Joseph; three brothers, Bill and Johnny, both of Havana, Fla., and Danny, Clearwater; four sisters, Juanita Peery, Seville, Ohio, Frances Herring, Panama City Beach, Allene Coggins and Estelle Patterson, both of Dunedin; and 11 grandchildren.
A rosary will be said in Mr. Gordon's memory at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in St. Joseph, 32145 St. Joe Road. The funeral will be 10 a.m. Friday at the same church.
St. Petersburg Times; St. Petersburg, Fla.; Mar 25, 2003; BRIDGET HALL GRUMET;
Full Text:
Copyright Times Publishing Co. Mar 25, 2003
(ran PC edition of PASCO TIMES)
Charles "Charlie" Gordon, longtime St. Leo police chief and a fixture in east Pasco County, died Sunday evening (March 23, 2003) at Pasco Regional Medical Center. He was 63. Mr. Gordon had been fighting a decadelong battle with diabetes, and his family took him to the hospital Sunday morning when he took a turn for the worse. His heart gave out about 8 p.m. "We knew it was coming," his son, Ricky Gordon, said. "It was a little sooner than we expected." The elder Mr. Gordon wore a law enforcement badge for 34 years, starting as a deputy with the Pasco County Sheriff's Office. But most of his career was spent in St. Leo, where he was the town's police chief for about 25 years until the force was disbanded in 1992 to save money. Residents say Mr. Gordon thrived on community police work: chatting with people, serving as a mentor to young adults and keeping a friendly eye on the neighborhood kids.
Mr. Gordon was born in Brooker, a town about 20 miles north of Gainesville.
He served in the Air Force but spent most of his life in east Pasco County.
During much of his tenure as police chief, Mr. Gordon was also director of security for Saint Leo College, now Saint Leo University. Often he dealt with students who were away from home - and getting in trouble - for the first time. Sometimes he tried to teach first-time offenders a lesson without giving them an arrest record. For example, an underage student caught drinking might find himself picking up trash on campus for two weeks, not spending the night in jail. "He's the one who would look for a way to salvage somebody," said Bob Cabot, a Saint Leo graduate now serving as Dade City's fire chief. Mr. Gordon was a close friend and mentor to Cabot, serving as his police academy sponsor. In fact, Mr. Gordon helped bring police academy classes to Saint Leo in the late 1960s, although the courses have since been moved to Pasco-Hernando Community College, Cabot said. In the early 1970s, before the county established its own ambulance system, Mr. Gordon also started the campus' own rescue squad.
"He was a pioneer in a lot of ways," Cabot said. After St. Leo dismantled its police force, Mr. Gordon came to the Dade City Police Department. He served as captain of the patrol division until he retired in 1998. "He was captain," Dade City police Chief Phil Thompson said, "but I always referred to him as chief."
Mr. Gordon leaves behind a wife, Virginia; three sons, Alan, Ricky and Ben, and two daughters, Carla Gordon and Rita McDougal, all of St. Joseph; three brothers, Bill and Johnny, both of Havana, Fla., and Danny, Clearwater; four sisters, Juanita Peery, Seville, Ohio, Frances Herring, Panama City Beach, Allene Coggins and Estelle Patterson, both of Dunedin; and 11 grandchildren.
A rosary will be said in Mr. Gordon's memory at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in St. Joseph, 32145 St. Joe Road. The funeral will be 10 a.m. Friday at the same church.
Events
| Birth | January 14, 1940 | Brooker, FL | |||
| Marriage | February 23, 1960 | St. Joseph, FL - Virginia Ann Barthle | |||
| Death | March 23, 2003 | 33525 Dade City, Pasco Co., FL |
Families
| Spouse | Virginia Ann Barthle |
| Child | Alan Charles Gordon |
| Child | Carla Elizabeth Gordon |
| Child | Richard Louis Gordon |
| Child | Benjamin David Gordon |
| Child | Rita Mary Gordon |
| Sibling | Bill Gordon |
| Sibling | John Gordon |
| Sibling | Danny Gordon |
| Sibling | Juanita Gordon |
| Sibling | Frances Gordon |
| Sibling | Allene Gordon |
| Sibling | Estelle Gordon |