Gordon Ray Carpenter

To Gordon Ray Carpenter, the entire world was a stage. An expressive, optimistic, and uninhibited individual, he was a performer in the theater of life. To everyone around him, he seemed to be eternally happy, and he willingly shared that joy with anyone whose life he touched. For Gordon, bringing out the best in any situation was as easy as offering a smile, a witty remark or the twinkle of an eye. And with just those simple gestures, he could evoke the most pleasant of emotions. Gordon really mastered the art of living and had great fun in doing so.

Gordon was born on June 12, 1950 at Naval Hospital in Coronado, California. His parents were Freeland and Martha Carpenter. Gordon was raised in San Diego, California. Even as a child, Gordon had the ability to lift the spirits of all those around him. He was raised to be warm, caring and friendly. He couldn’t help but capture everyone’s attention. He was definitely a little bit of a show off, but in doing so, he succeeded in entertaining his entire family.

Always a good playmate, Gordon was easygoing and fun loving. He managed to lighten the mood wherever he was, even during family squabbles. He seemed to have a knack for bringing compromise and erasing tense situations around the house. Due to a generous dose of common sense, Gordon managed to find a satisfying solution to basic problems. Gordon was raised with 1 sibling, Lana. During his early teenage years, his mother remarried and he was joined by four younger siblings. Two boys, and 2 girls, Decoda Zollicoffer, and Lee Thomas.

All of Gordon's playful good humor carried over into his childhood. He was possessed with an outgoing personality, a lively imagination and a mellowed enthusiasm for life that allowed him to be constantly on the go. As a result, Gordon experienced a rather active childhood, and this suited him very well. He took part in playing football. In his spare time he loved football from Pop Warner and up.

Anyone who knew Gordon in High school knew how much of a free spirit he was. He didn’t do it to be unkind or to garner all the attention. Rather, Gordon simply enjoyed others’ laughter and the sounds of his friends and acquaintances having a good time. It could be said that for Gordon, grades may not have been the most important thing to him, but he really did enjoy his school experience. Since experience was Gordon's best teacher. He enjoyed hands-on learning and applying the “practical” approach to knowledge, rather than getting caught up in “theory.” Gordon graduated from Lincoln and Morse High school. In 1968. He enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers. His favorite class in high school was wood shop and auto shop. Gordon's stepdad John purchased a used car, and they both worked on it until it was roadworthy.

Gordon reveled in his college years, where his imagination could run free. He was viewed by many of his classmates as being a creative, artistic person. Gordon was usually found at the center of things, whether it was during class or in extracurricular activities. He was a jovial person who loved to share his passion for fun with others. But for Gordon, life was not a case of all play and no work. Gordon relished the task of putting his imagination to work in class. He was able to discover new and different ways of answering problems and creating unusual and different solutions. Gordon's interests included studying Heating and Air, Electrical studies and Auto mechanics.

Gordon never actually encountered a stranger in his dealings with people. He was drawn to individuals and crowds, using his gregarious, adaptable and outgoing personality to captivate his audience. This quality allowed Gordon to continually develop new relationships, ever widening his circle of friends. Gordon delighted in his role among all his acquaintances, because he viewed them all as potential spectators for his performance. Whether it was a story, a joke, a song or just plain fooling around, Gordon was always right at home putting on a show among his friends. Gordon utilized his interest in others as a great way to connect with them. while in Junior College, Gordon was befriended by a brother of Danny Allen. The Allen family embraced Gordon as one of the family and he has remained friends with Danny for 40 years plus. Gordon loved sharing life and having his home filled with people he knew.

The gift of being emotionally expressive and outwardly affectionate made Gordon very easy to approach. On March 29th, 2008 Gordon exchanged wedding vows with Irene O Stewart. He was always sensitive to other people’s feelings, and that was especially true in marriage.

Perhaps the reason Gordon related so well to children was the fact that he never really completely grew up himself. The ability to be just a “kid at heart” helped him in raising his own daughter. Gordon was blessed with one child, Niecey. They were also blessed with one grandchild, Shawnie. Gordon had the ability to focus his attention on the present moment. If he was spending time with the kids, that’s where all of his attention was directed. Gordon's compassionate side prevented him from being a strict disciplinarian, and he could turn just about any situation into a playful, learning experience. He could spend hours entertaining them with fun and creative play. In fact, Gordon had a knack for turning some of those nasty old chores into games.

At work, as in life, Gordon was a real “people person.” He had a very successful way of dealing effectively with others, and his enthusiasm and energy was often contagious. Gordon liked to see himself as something of a virtuoso. When dealing with various projects and problems, Gordon was an adaptable realist, using his common sense and trusting his experiences and impulses to uncover the correct answer. Gordon's talent for being a down to earth thinker, allowed many around him to see Gordon as an excellent problem solver. His primary occupation was as a Senior Traffic Officer Supervisor II. He was employed for 34 years by the City of Los Angeles.

Gordon enjoyed his leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. He was always extremely athletic and a competitive sports enthusiast. His favorite pursuits were golf, watching, football and basketball games. Gordon was content to enjoy his hobbies alone but was also willing to share his interests with others. Gordon felt excited and challenged by sports. Even if he wasn’t the best, Gordon loved to participate and thoroughly enjoyed the competition and the pleasure of being around other people. Gordon relished the opportunities where he could make an impact, and he would often push himself to play above his abilities. A quick thinker who understood the basics, Gordon never seemed to get caught off guard, even when confronted with unexpected conflict. In high school, Gordon played football. After retirement, Recreational sports included working out at the gym, golf and bowling. Gordon was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching his favorite events whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were football and basketball.

Gordon had an endless appetite for new and different activities. He was always ready to join in the fun and add his flair and energy to an organization. Because of his personality, his humor, and his ability to get along with everyone, Gordon's service was greatly valued by the organizations to which he belonged. Throughout his later years, Gordon was an active member of the Laborer's International Union of North America. Gordon Carpenter served as an LIUNA, elected local 777 Executive Board Member, and as President of the City of Los Angeles Chapter. Gordon Received a Certificate of Recognition from Martin Ludlow, council member 10th District, Los Angeles, CA for exemplary hard work during his administration.

Gordon believed that you had to experience life, and his life in retirement was no different. When that day finally arrived in April 1, 2008, Gordon took it in stride as one more way to have fun. His new life involved relocating to Las Vegas, NV. With his boundless energy and a desire to get the most out of life, Gordon remained busy with people and projects. Even in retirement, Gordon continued to stay in touch with his old friends and colleagues, and since he'd never met a stranger, he made plenty of new acquaintances as well.

Gordon passed away on July 18, 2019 at at home surrounded by his loved ones. Gordon fought a brave battle against lung cancer. He is survived by his wife Irene, Sisters Lana Lauderdale and Lee Thomas, Decoda Zollicoffer and daughter Mellaniece Wells, and granddaughter Shawnie Powers.

Services were held at Palm Northwest Mortuary.

Gordon brought joy to all of those around him. He never had a mean bone in his body. He loved to have a good time and was an eternal optimist, always looking on the bright side of things. He loved to share his energy, wit, and his zest for all of his activities with his friends and family. Gordon Ray Carpenter lived life to its fullest and made everyone around him happier just for knowing him. He will be remembered with a smile.