Gordon A Oppenheim

Gordon was born in Brookline Massachusetts to Joseph and Reba Oppenheim. The family lived in a small house on Beals Street and later moved to Kent Street. Gordon always spoke fondly of his time in Brookline, playing ball in the neighborhood, and making many friends, including his lifelong friend, Dick Green. Dick and Gordon were inseparable and remained so into their later years.

After primary school, Gordon attended Tabor Academy, an independent preparatory school located in Marion, Massachusetts. Gordon excelled in school and always had a gift for math. Gordon made many friends at Tabor, many of whom he remained close with throughout his life. Later on he was accepted and briefly attended Columbia University before deciding to enroll in the Mass School of Pharmacy as his father owned, bought and sold drug stores, the most notable of which was Guild’s Drugs located in downtown Boston on the corner of Boylston and Exeter Street. The drug store was not just a business, but a gathering place for the community. People came there to talk about life, whether it be sports, politics or the current news of the day. The lunch counter in particular was a favorite spot for politicians, athletes and businessmen to have a laugh, a bite to eat and, if they were lucky, one of their famous ice cream sundaes.

It was around that time that Gordon met the love of his life on a blind date, Jeanette Lapuck. Despite his demanding hours, Gordon always made time for Jeanette. He made her feel special and she would comment on how sweet he always treated her. Their height difference occasionally made others take notice, but they were a match. In 1958, the two wed at what was then known as The Fensgate. They chose Newton to settle down and start a family, having two daughters, Cheryl and Joyce who cherished him. Gordon’s only requirement when looking for a house was to be near a bus stop so he could get back and forth to the drug store with ease. Gordon and Jeanette set an example for their daughters demonstrating the importance of a strong work ethic and brought them up to be strong independent women.

Gordon was someone who always believed in making sure that the voice of the underserved was heard and decided to go to Suffolk Law School at night to earn a law degree. He became a prominent and well respected public defender handling some of the largest and most high-profile cases in Massachusetts. He always represented his clients with vigor and intelligence. He was an expert litigator who would spend hours on every detail to serve his clients. He made sure they were given the dignity and representation that they deserved and most importantly, a relentless advocate. His demeanor and keen legal insight earned him the respect of judges, prosecutors and other defense attorneys. He was continually recognized for his dedication and was awarded the Edward J. Duggan Public Defender Award for zealous advocacy and outstanding legal services to the poor from The Committee for Public Counsel Services. He was also honored to receive The Defender Award from the Massachusetts Bar Association in special recognition of his exceptional contribution to legal services and to the principle of equal justice under the law.

In his later years, Gordon found tremendous joy in being with his grandchildren. He always had a camera in-hand making sure he captured every moment. He was also an avid tennis player, bridge player and loved meeting his breakfast group to catch up on their lives.

Gordon will be missed by many and leaves behind his loving and cherished wife of 67 years, Jeanette Oppenheim, two devoted daughters, Cheryl Nagle of Westwood (Jim), and Joyce Levine of Westwood (Alan); five grandchildren, Samantha Levine of Dover, Julia Krowiak of Medfield (Zack), Erica Wingenroth of Sharon (Evan), Matthew Levine of Pasadena (Nadine), Benjamin Nagle of Somerville (Casey Murphy); three great-grandchildren, Nola, Milo and Isla. Gordon is predeceased by his brother, David Oppenheim of Natick.

In keeping with Gordon’s passion for justice and protecting those who can’t defend themselves, in lieu of flowers, please make donations to any of the following; The Southern Poverty Law Center, 400 Washington Avenue, Montgomery, AL 36104, The ACLU at www.aclu.org, or the New England Innocence Project at New England Innocence project, 1035 Cambridge Street., Suite 28A, Cambridge, MA 02141.