Charlotte - Ethel Blumenau Gordon, age 87, passed away April 17, 2019, in Charlotte, N.C. Born December 26, 1931, in St. Louis, Mo., to the late Sidney Blumenau and Minnie Jaffe Blumenau, she attended Clayton public schools in the St. Louis suburbs. She enrolled at Washington University in St. Louis to pursue a major in Fine Arts but, while there, met Allen Gordon from Ossining, N.Y., and married before graduating.
After moving to Dallas, Texas, and Albany, N.Y., they settled in Ardsley, N.Y., in Westchester County where they raised their three children.
Ethel’s work life was varied. She bought and ran a successful party goods/greeting card and gift store, worked in Display at Macy’s and worked as a Temple administrator. She and Allen bought and then sold a business on Long Island. In 1978, after a cold New York winter, they picked up and moved south to Charlotte where they joined Temple Beth El and Olde Providence Racket Club and quickly made friends and built a new life.
In 1983, Ethel achieved her lifelong dream -- graduating summa cum laude from UNC-Charlotte with a bachelor’s of fine arts degree. She was a prolific painter and a student of art history, visiting museums all around the world.
She was an active member of Temple Beth El, involved in the building committee and temple administration and also serving as a membership vice president.
While in Charlotte, Ethel pursued many passions. She became a Master Gardener, joined the Charlotte Art League, served as a docent at the Mint Museum and served on the boards of the North Carolina Print and Drawing Society, the Golden Circle Theater and the Jewish Community Center. She designed several houses, threw memorable dinner parties and travelled extensively.
Her passions continued until later in life. When she moved to the Carriage Club, she initiated the Garden Club and had the first community garden built on the campus. She developed cherished friendships, continued to throw dinner parties and was known for her beautiful paintings in a hallway in Building 6.
Ethel is survived by her son, Andrew Gordon (Mary) of Purcellville, Va.; daughters, Barbara Green of Charlotte and Cathy Cutler of Winter Springs, Fla.; as well as six grandchildren: Jacob Gordon, Jessie Gordon, Max Green, Sam Green, William Cutler and Aviv Cutler. She was predeceased by her husband, Allen Gordon.
Services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, April 19, at Temple Beth El, with burial at the Hebrew Cemetery, 1801 Statesville Avenue, Charlotte. Reception following.
Memorials may be made to Temple Beth El, 5101 Providence Road, Charlotte, N.C., 28226 or the American Cancer Society.
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