Gordon Vaughn Rickles

Gordon was a life explorer in every sense of the word; a man who believed life was meant to be lived fully, dreams were meant to be pursued, and a good adventure was almost always worth the risk. Whether the journey took him across the country on a Harley-Davidson, beneath the water with scuba gear, around a racetrack, down the Warrior River, or simply into a room filled with family and friends, Gordon brought with him an unmistakable enthusiasm for life.

A 1958 graduate of West End High School, Gordon attended the University of Alabama, where he was a member of Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity and participated in ROTC. He graduated in 1961 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Marketing and Advertising.

Gordon began his professional career with H.W. Heinz before joining U.S. Steel. But Gordon was never a man content to experience life from the sidelines. During those years, he also became a Master Scuba Diving Instructor, sharing his love of the water and adventure with others.

Eventually, another passion called. Gordon entered the world of enduro motorcycle racing and opened Super Cycle Chopper Shop in downtown Homewood. What began as a love for motorcycles grew into the fulfillment of a lifelong dream when he became a Harley-Davidson dealer. Over the years, Gordon owned Harley-Davidson of Birmingham, Harley-Davidson East, and Harley-Davidson of Tuscaloosa. Through that chapter of his life, he formed a close friendship with Willie G. Davidson and became a KTM and Rokon dirt bike dealer.

His enthusiasm for anything with an engine did not stop with motorcycles. Gordon's love of automobiles led him into automotive sales and a world filled with sports cars, antique automobiles, and customized game-day electric cars. If it had wheels, horsepower, or the promise of an adventure, chances were Gordon wanted to be a part of it.

And adventure was never in short supply.

Gordon raced enduro and motocross motorcycles, drag cars and bikes, and flat track. He scuba dived, boated, and embraced adventures on the Warrior River. He was an exceptionally patient teacher who taught countless people to water ski. On his Harley-Davidson, he planned trips and traveled through every state in the contiguous US with fellow riders, collecting miles, friendships, stories, and memories along the way.

He was also an avid Alabama football fan as a member of the University of Alabama National Alumni Association, Red Elephant Club, and Tide Pride, he rarely missed a game. Gordon had not missed a home game since he graduated. He had an interest in music and enthusiastically supported two of his favorite artists, Jim Connor and Marc-Alan Barnette.

But perhaps Gordon's greatest gift was not simply having adventures. It was his ability to turn them into stories.

He was a natural storyteller, always ready with another tale from the road, the water, the racetrack, or one of the countless chapters of his remarkable life. Mixed among the laughter were lessons learned from a man who had truly lived what he talked about. His memorable observations and bits of wisdom became affectionately known as “Accordin' to Gordon” quotes, eventually inspiring Marc-Alan Barnette to turn them into a song bearing the same name.

Gordon believed in taking the trip, trying something new, accepting the challenge, and finding a way to turn dreams into reality. His grandson perhaps described the Rickles family best when, as a young child, he said, “Mom, you were born into the ‘fun family.’” Much of that spirit came from Gordon. He made life interesting, and he made sure those he loved knew that life was something to be experienced, not merely observed.

At the heart of all those adventures was his family. Gordon married Margaret Ann Michel Rickles in 1960, beginning a lifetime together filled with family, memories, and more stories than could ever fit onto these pages.

He is lovingly remembered by the love of his life, Margaret Ann Michel Rickles; his brother, Doug Rickles (Carol); his daughters, Michele Maddox (Tom Sheehan) and Melinda Payne (John); his grandchildren, Lacie Maddox, Lori Harris (Billy), Grayson Vaughn Payne (Madi Ellis, fiancé), Margaret Ann Gregory (Chace); Colleen Horrell (Chad); Joe Sheehan (Leah); John Sheehan (Deidre); Steve Sheehan (Raven); and Danny Sheehan; his great-granddaughters, Parker-Jane Payne, Madison Harris, and Penelope Harris; nine step-great-grandchildren and many beloved nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Gordon's family also included the animals he dearly loved throughout his life. Rowdy, his Harley-riding Maltese, began a cherished tradition of faithful four-legged sidekicks. In later years, Lucy and Daisy May held that special place beside him, offering the companionship that only a beloved pet can give.

To describe Gordon simply by the things he accomplished would miss the best part of who he was. His life was not measured only in businesses built, motorcycles ridden, races run, waters explored, or miles traveled. It was measured in the people he brought along for the ride.

He taught others to be curious. To laugh. To take chances. To tell a good story. To learn from the journey. To dream something bigger and then figure out how to make it happen.

Gordon Vaughn Rickles lived the kind of life that leaves behind stories people will tell for generations. There will undoubtedly be laughter when those stories are shared, perhaps a little embellishment in true Gordon fashion, and almost certainly someone beginning a sentence with words that have now become part of the family's vocabulary:

“Accordin' to Gordon…”

And somewhere in the telling, Gordon will be right there again; on the river, on the road, behind the handlebars, surrounded by the people he loved, reminding everyone that life is an adventure, and it is meant to be lived to the fullest.

A visitation celebrating Gordon’s life will be held at Prince of Peace Catholic Church on Thursday, September 24, 2026, from 10:30 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. A Funeral service will follow at 12:00 p.m. Gordon will then be laid to rest at Birmingham’s historic Elmwood Cemetery.

In true Gordon fashion, this celebration is not meant to be ordinary. Family and friends attending are encouraged to wear something representing two of Gordon’s great loves, the University of Alabama or Harley-Davidson, come dressed in a way that would make Gordon smile.

And for Gordon’s fellow riders, there is an especially fitting invitation: if you own a Harley, you are encouraged to ride it in the procession to Elmwood Cemetery. What better way to honor a man who spent so much of his life chasing the next road, the next adventure, and the freedom found behind the handlebars than to accompany him on one final ride.

For those who feel led to make a donation in Gordon’s memory, the family kindly suggests the Shelby Humane Society, an organization whose mission reflected Gordon’s support for giving shelter pets a second chance through adoption.

Shelby Humane Society

381 McDow Road

Columbiana, AL 35051

Phone: (205) 669-3916

www.shelbyhumane.org

Memorial donations may also be made online through the Shelby Humane Society’s donation page.

Roll Tide and ride on, Gordon.