4 minute read
Meet the Gordon Family: From Beach to Bay and Around the World
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Photo by Kim Lind Photography and story written by Alex Sullivan, Resident since 2017
As a flight attendant for a private airline, Patty Gordon spent her time flying the most interesting people and celebrities all around the world. It was on a blind date at Billy’s, in Newport Beach, in 2003 however, that Patty met the person that would capture her heart, Bob Gordon Jr..
A year and a half later Patty and Bob entered wedded bliss. They lived in Huntington Beach, where Patty grew up. Bob is also a California native. He earned a degree in Business Administration and Marketing from San Diego State University in 1988. From there, Bob continued on with his family’s business legacy as a 4th generation funeral industry leader. In 2017 Bob accepted the position of President and CEO for Cypress Lawn Cemetery Association in Colma, and that is what brought the entire family north to the East Bay. He recently began giving historical trolley tours of the older campus, “where stories are told of many Bay Area notables that helped form the Northern California we know today.”
The Gordon family is comprised of Bob and Patty, Zachary (26), Kenedi (21), Jackson (11), Payton Grace (8), and Mason (6). They also have a Persian cat named Peek-a-boo, and three Labrador Retrievers, Max, Bear, and Mason “The Dog”. How does a family end up with two “Masons”? “When we found out that I was pregnant with our youngest son, Jackson asked if he could name him. He wanted to name him Mason... (Which is Patty’s grandfather’s name)..., but we also have Mason the dog who at this time was only 5. We thought about it and then agreed. So for the last 11 years we’ve had Mason the boy and Mason the dog!” Surely those two are best friends for life.
As a family, the Gordon’s love to travel. They have been Disney Passholders for over a decade, and take every opportunity they can to travel back to SoCal. Last year the family went to Vail, Colorado, where the kids learned to ski for the first time. With their love for international travel, Jackson was actually only 8 weeks old when he received his first passport, so that he could go to the Dominican Republic with his parents. Bob, Patty, and the kids also enjoy taking cruises and visiting Cabo annually. And to soak up a little taste of the East coast- they travel to New York City each November.
Bob, Patty, Jackson, Payton Grace, and Mason know how to rock a sock-hop!
This year they have some amazing adventures planned. Aside from their spring break Caribbean cruise and their annual trips to Cabo and NYC, the Gordons are also visiting Maui, Waikiki, and Whistler, Canada. Bob says, “If you were to ask the kids what their favorite, most memorable, trip was, I think they would say cruising! They love it! It’s almost like their own private vacation away from us.” Patty and Bob will be flying to China in May for two weeks for a funeral expo. There they will tour granite and casket manufacturers with some other employees from Bob’s company. The kids will stay behind with Patty’s mother, Nancy, who also lives with them, “the kids love having their Nannie in the same house, and she provides much needed support for the kids and the household.”
Just one of the many experiences the Gordon family has had together
Back on this side of the world, the three youngest kids keep Bob and Patty busy around town. Various sports, including lacrosse, flag football, gymnastics, and baseball serve as weekly activities. They are also on the swim teams at Del Amigo Swim Club. Bob is an active outdoorsman, whose passions include wake-boarding, surfing, mountain biking, and skiing. Patty loves being an at-home mom and volunteering in the kids’ classrooms as often as she can. This is the last year that all three kids will be at the same school! Aside from her volunteer work, Patty has spent the last five years working and promoting her own skin care business with Rodan + Fields. As a family, they enjoy meeting their friends once a month for dinner at the Blackhawk Country Club. You can find them attending Community Presbyterian Church and taking strolls down the Iron Horse Trail.
These three adorable faces earned over 2,000 likes on facebook!
One of the greatest draws of their westside home was the accessibility to downtown. As we all know, the Iron Horse Trail is not only a shortcut straight to the heart of our beloved Danville, but it is a perfect family activity in and of itself. After spending the last two years here in Danville, the Gordon’s have grown a deep love for their new home - “We love the small town feel of Danville. We sometimes miss the beaches of Southern California, but we are beginning to love the seasons that we get in the East Bay. Although, we believe you find what you are looking for, and we are always looking for the best in life and in people. We really do believe we live in the best place ever.”
Patty and Bob are raising their children with the family motto “Live, Love, Matter,” a motto that is simple in verbage, uncomplicated in execution, and profound in effect.
