Rosa Lee Gordon

Rosa Lee Hale Gordon (Lee) passed away peacefully on December 8, 2022. She was a humble servant of God, always putting the needs of others before her own. The hallmark of her life was joy. Her face radiated with it and her eyes sparkled with it.

She was born in Flat Lick, Kentucky, on August 25, 1929, the loving daughter of the late Hugh Bob and Amanda Hammons Hale. Upon graduation from Knox Central High School, she attended business school in Louisville, Kentucky. She worked in Louisville and Chicago, Illinois, before moving to Nashville, Tennessee, to attend nursing school at the St. Thomas School of Nursing, where she served as class president.

In 1956, she married the love of her life, James Camp Gordon, Jr. (Jim). They were happily married for 31 years, until his death from cancer in 1987.

Caring for others was her calling. She worked as a nurse at St. Thomas Hospital, Florence Crittenton Home for Unwed Mothers, Oscar Mayer and GF Furniture. She then joined the Department of Human Services for The State of Tennessee, retiring from the department of Disability Determinations at age 85 after over 25 years of service.

Mrs. Gordon was an active member of St. Lawrence Catholic Church for over 50 years. She will be remembered for her kindness and genuineness. She cherished her family, always present, loving and providing. She was dedicated to her community serving as an active volunteer for many organizations including the Davidson County 4-H Club, Meals on Wheels, Sierra Club, treasurer for the local Soroptimist Club and a Brownie Troop leader for the local Girl Scouts.

Mrs. Gordon was a private pilot, a member of the Experimental Aircraft Association, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association and International Aerobatic Club, where she served as a local field judge for the National Aerobatic Team. She was an avid hiker, traveler and outdoor lover. She traveled the world, yet was most at home on her farm where she could hike in the woods for hours, enjoying picking blackberries and morel mushrooms. She enjoyed nature, gardening, and, most of all, spending time with her three grandchildren.

In addition to her parents and husband, she is preceded in death by her brother, Virgil Hale. She is survived by her daughter Anna-Lee Gordon Cockrill and her husband, William Franklin Cockrill (Bill), granddaughters Emmaline Anna and India Lee and grandson, William Franklin Cockrill, Jr., and special nieces, nephews and cousins.

A graveside celebration of the life for Mrs. Gordon will be held at Mount Olivet Cemetery, 1101 Lebanon Pike, Nashville, on Tuesday, December 13, at two in the afternoon. Visitation with the family at 1:00 p.m. before the service. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association or a charity of your choosing.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.mountolivet.com for the Gordon family.