Charles Gordon

On April 11, 2017 Charles Gordon died in Arlington, Virginia, where he had lived for over sixty years. Born on May 18, 1919, Charles was the son of the late Isabel and Ben Gordon of Anfield Plain, Durham County, England. He had eight siblings, all of whom predeceased him. At fifteen, Charles finished school and began working in the coal mines with his father and brothers. Shortly thereafter a local woman, Mrs. Headley, helped him to get a job in domestic service: first as a houseboy, then as a footman. At the beginning of World War II Charles entered the Royal Army Medical Corps. He was captured at Dunkirk in 1940 and spent four years as a prisoner of war. During this difficult time, he developed his artistic abilities, making illustrated postcards for his fellow prisoners that were delivered to their families by the Red Cross. He remained an accomplished amateur painter and sculptor throughout his life. He also loved tinkering with his vintage Ramblers.

After the war, Charles worked briefly at Oxford University and then as a butler at the British Embassy in Washington. There he met the love of his life, Ella, whom he married in 1954. For many years Charles served as the assistant manager of the Sulgrave Club, a private women’s club in Washington. When his wife Ella died in December 1998, Charles took over her role as resident manager of the Wakefield Manor Apartments, where they had resided together for forty-four years. Charles was much admired by his fellow tenants, and many longtime family friends regarded him as their honorary uncle. One of his neighbors, Grace Sims, was an especially devoted friend to Charles, Ella, and their son (Charles Andrew Gordon, who died in August 2016).

Visitations will be on Friday, April 21, from 7-9 PM and Saturday, April 22 at noon at the Murphy Funeral Home in Arlington, followed by a service in the Chapel at 1:00. Many of Charles’s works of art will be on display.

In lieu of flowers, donations in honor of Charles may be made to Community Residences, Inc., 14160 Newbrook Drive, Chantilly, VA 20151 or to The Arc of Northern Virginia, 2755 Hartland Road, Suite 200, Falls Church, VA 22043. These are the organizations which cared so lovingly for his son, Charlie, for many years.