Grandpa Gordon – “Hall Of Famer” :D

Posted in The Sarnia Observer yesterday was the announcement that Lorne Gordon – my Grandfather, was the first inductee into the Agricultural Hall of Fame.  The funny thing is, Grandpa was a very quiet and humble man, and definitely not one to seek attention for himself, so I’m sure both him and my Dad would be doing what we referred to as -“smirky lips” – a kind of lip twitch they would do when uncomfortable in anyway – if they were around to see this.  Both my Grandfather and my Dad were very quiet, and humble men, sadly, Grandpa died in 1994, and Dad, ten years later in 2004-both however where able to stay active working on the farms that they loved so much till the end.  The farm - Roxburgh Farms has been a family farm for 4 Generation, and is now owned and operated by my brother Bill and his wife Becky with their six kids who have also worked on the farm as they grew up there.

Wilhelmine Wilson, a close family friend and neighbour nominated Grandpa. Wilhelmine and  Marian Rumford (Daughter of Lorne Gordon)  worked on the submission to the association . 

The picture below was taken during my graduating year from college in photography in 1990, it took a little convincing, but Grandpa agreed to come to the studio, not dressed in a suit as would have been the norm, but I wanted to capture the real Lorne Gordon, in his Big B overalls, the type he would wear everyday.

The following is the article as posted in The Sarnia Observer:

Agricultural Hall of Fame names Lorne Gordon as first inductee

Posted 23 hours ago

AGRICULTURE: Lorne Gordon did it all

First hall of famer named

The late Lorne Telfer Gordon has been named the first inductee to the Lambton Agricultural Hall of Fame.

Gordon, who died in 1994 at age 88, lived on Gordon Line, a road named in his memory, in what was then Bosanquet Township in Lambton Shores.

"I think we have a very excellent candidate for our first nominee for the Lambton hall of fame," said chairperson Ron MacDougall.

The hall of fame association formed recently with the help of the Lambton Federation of Agriculture to honour the accomplishments of local farmers.

Gordon was a federation member who was active in Farm Forum meetings which extended education to rural areas from 1941 to 1961. He was also a member of the Lambton County Milk Committee and helped start the Bluewater Transport Company.

He took an interest in the environment and conservation, taking papers and bottles to a depot in Sarnia and metals to London long before the "blue box" was invented.

He planted trees along roadsides, around his farm buildings, along fence lines and elsewhere, including a local school yard so it’s students could enjoy the shade.

Noted for his husbandry of the land, Gordon and his son were named Ontario hay and silage kings in 1966.

He served as a local school trustee and was active at Knox Presbyterian Church in Thedford, on his local cemetery board and as a member of the Arkona Seniors.

"He hit the criteria on pretty well everything," said Ken Dunlop, a federation past-president who sits on the hall of fame committee.

Gordon is scheduled to be formally inducted into the hall during the Lambton County Plowman's Banquet Sept. 4 at the Camlachie United Church.

He was selected from a list of five nominees.

"We could have given out five awards," Dunlop said about the quality of the nominees.

MacDougall said the association is still searching for a permanent home for the hall of fame.

MacDougall said he hopes the association's profile grows as it recognizes inductees who have helped make Lambton a strong agricultural community, and also recognizes the leadership they provided in the greater community.

"It's not just what they do on their farm," he said, "it's what they do in their community that's important."

The association plans to name one inductee to the hall of fame each year.

pmorden@theobserver.ca

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