Obituary of Rabbi Martin D. Gordon

Rabbi Martin D. Gordon, age 73, of Gloversville, NY died Friday morning, June 4, 2010 at St. Peter's Hospice Inn in Albany, NY, following a short illness. Rabbi Gordon was born on October 8, 1936 in Detroit, MI, the son of Feival and Rivka Gordon. He attained his Bachelor of Arts Degree in June of 1959 at Brooklyn College and his Doctor of Divinity degree and was ordained in August of 1959 at Torah Vodaath Talmudic Seminary in Brooklyn. His Master's Degree in Education was achieved at the University of Maine in 1965. He was a Hebrew teacher in Bayside, Long Island in the late 1950's. He was Rabbi and Principal from 1959 to 1967 at the Jewish Community Council in Bangor, Maine. He was also Rabbi from 1967 to 1989 at Livonia Jewish Congregation in Livonia, Michigan. During that time he was Chaplain of Livonia Police Dept; Northville Regional Psychiatric Hospital, Mount Vernon Nursing Home and Lasher Hills Nursing Home, all in Michigan. He was Rabbi from 1989 to 1997 at Congregation Aguda Achim in Laredo, Texas. At the time of his death he was Rabbi at Knesseth Israel Synagogue in Gloversville, NY where he began his service in October of 1997. Rabbi Gordon was a member and Past president of the Fulton County Clergy Association. He was involved in Planned Parenthood for a brief time and was a former member of the Ethics Committee of Nathan Littauer Hospital in Gloversville and Concerned Clergy for Choice in Albany, NY. He was a member of many other professional organizations, both local and national. He was well known in the community as he frequented many eating establishments with multiple "breakfast, lunch and dinner clubs". His personality and wit will be cherished and missed in our community. Rabbi Gordon is survived by his wife, Ann D. DiMezza Gordon of Gloversville. His children are Mitchell H. Gordon of Warren, MI, Carolyn Gordon Gary Oliveira of Fremont, CA Mitchell and Carolyn's mother, Martha Gordon, resides in Livonia, MI and Julie Waller David of Gloversville. Also surviving are his sister, Dorothy Krupp of Livonia, MI; his brother, Bob Gordon of Chatsworth, CA; and two grandchildren, Ashley Waller and Nicholas Waller. He was preceded in death by his other brother, Jack Gordon. A Funeral Service will be held at 6:00 p.m. Sunday, June 6 at Knesseth Israel Synagogue, Gloversville, with Rabbi Paul Silton officiating. Interment will take place at Knesseth Israel Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Knesseth Israel Synagogue, 34 E. Fulton St., Gloversville, NY 12078 or to St. Peter's Hospice Inn, 315 S. Manning Blvd; Albany, NY 12208. Arrangements have been entrusted to Walrath & Stewart Funeral Home, 51 Fremont St; Gloversville.