Name: Demaine Fairfax Funeral Home
Address: Fairfax, VA

Continue to rest in God's eternal peace Gordon.  We miss you so much.

Our family met Gordon in 1998 when we purchased a home that had been vacant for over 11 years.  My husband was busy cutting back the massive boxwoods that had completely engulfed the house, when this tall stately man with a wide-brimmed hat sauntered down our long driveway, commenting, "I'm so glad someone purchased this house who knows what they are doing".  My husband's response to me, where did you find this one?"  Hahahaha.  I love people and he never knows who will show up on our stoop.

Little did we know then that Gordon would become like a member of our family.  Every Thanksgiving, Easter and Christmas, you would find Gordon around our table, laughing and telling wonderful stories about his life in Georgetown or his take on the latest politics.

After a few years of knowing him, he became a mentor sharing his tremendous knowledge of gardening and design.  I guess it is no surprise that it became a part of my professional life.

When Gordon became ill, he granted me the privilege of visitation once he was admitted to the nursing home and on the morning of his death, I had the honor of being there with him to pray and, I hope, send him peacefully on his way.  He had transitioned by the time I reached the nursing home after the call, but I know he was present still when I arrived.  I sat for a while talking with him and letting him know that we knew he did what he had to do.

I miss him terribly in the spring as I no longer have him to drop in the see how I am doing with our peach trees or to drop off a bottle of wine from his amazing collection.

Gordon, wherever you are, please know that you are remembered well by our family and we thank God for gracing our lives with your presence.  Sleep well my friend.  Bonnie and Mac +two

This is on a rather personal level because I came to know Gordon living across the street on Burrows Ave in Fairfax, VA. From about the age of six I recall practicing casting a fishing line in my front yard and being approached by Gordon’s adopted son Jose. We struck up an instant friendship when Jose got the line stuck in the tree. From there I realized the close personal bond Jose and Gordon shared, where Gordon was the surrogate father to Jose, sewing ornate costumes at Halloween, roughhousing when we got rowdy, and sharing all aspects of his life. A particularly fond memory is when his peach trees would produce fruit, Gordon, Jose, and I would wheel wooden crates along the neighborhood streets selling them and earning some take home pay.  There was when we filmed home movies as ninjas and played hide and seek against neighborhood bullies. Oftentimes we would use the crawl space connected to Jose’s room as our base of operations and swore to secrecy that it would remain hidden.

His garden was always the refuge and I came to knew every inch just as Gordon did. It was the backdrop to my childhood, and by extension Gordon was. Driving through my old neighborhood I saw what startled me; Gordon’s golden VW rabbit no longer there. Although I believe he replaced it in subsequent years it was the symbol of his presence along with the wide brimmed straw hat.

Recently we visited a few years back and he was doing some spring cleaning. He remarked it as Swedish death cleaning and I never knew how prescient that statement was. He decided he was going to give me some of his old suits. They fit like a glove and he and I were astonished. I’ll always treasure them. Point being, my life was tremendously impacted by Gordon. I always wanted to reconnect but life’s events got in the way so here I am reminiscing. He was a kind, thoughtful and frankly, magical human being that I had the pleasure of knowing, and hope those who met him felt similarly. With love and deep sadness, SN

I saw one of Gordon's Georgetown gardens in a book at my doctor's office, and knew he was the person to help me with my Japanese Garden.  After a lot of visits (even to his home), the project was started.  He always had a vision - and we always adopted them.  We hated to see the garden finished, because it meant seeing him less often.  When we moved to Annapolis, he gave us ideas (including, surprise, boxwoods).  He always had wonderful stories - his own, and gossip of the world, including the LBJ Whitehouse period.  We are so sad that this one of a kind man has left us.  I'll think of him when I wear the Amish gardening hat.  Jane Cash  

Gordon was living in our house on Calvert St. when we bought it in 1976. He was working on his house down the street. He subsequently moved to Fairfax. We kept in touch periodically but then fell out of touch. I just wrote him a note and it bounced back. I did some research and just now learned of his passing the end of this past February. I am saddened to learn this and that the window for myself and my wife to re-connect with him has closed. He was truly a unique individual in every respect. We learned from him.  Every time I pass the Biltmore triangle garden he established I think of him and can hear him. 
Please pass on our belated condolences to his family.

Sincerely, Bill Rogers, 1921 Calvert St. NW, DC 20009

OBITUARIO

Gordon Lee Riggle

3 junio, 1938 – 25 febrero, 2020

Demaine Funeral Home – Fairfax

Muestre su apoyo

Comparta Un Recuerdo

Comparta
Un Obituario

Obtenga actualizaciones

Servicios