May 21, 2007 — Longtime St. John resident Andy Gordon, 53, died Sunday at his home on St. John after a long illness.
Gordon, who moved to St. John in 1979, had a reputation as a Renaissance man. He had followed his heart to many different endeavors, and most recently worked as a Web designer. He and his next-door neighbor, Jean Vance, owned St. John Links.
As news of his death circulated around St. John's coconut telegraph, residents spoke fondly of their longtime friend.
"He was a very loving, giving and accepting soul," Vance said. Gordon helped her raise her son and was always available to answer his questions, she said.
Michael Beason played music and ran the first Kaleidoscope video store with Gordon. Gordon sold fossils and minerals at the store. "He told the truth as he saw it," Beason said, noting that in addition to his other endeavors, Gordon also studied spirituality and religion.
In 2004, Gordon got a little help from the matchmaking site eHarmony to meet his wife, Dorie. As their romance unfolded, Gordon told everyone how happy he was to meet the love of his life.
"Our life together was perfect," Dorie said. She described Gordon as a lover of life and a positive soul. "I never saw the man frown," she said.
The two got married on May 27, 2005.
Close friend Laura Hollander said that Gordon was her support system during hurricane season. "I'm terrified of hurricanes, and Andy was my lucky charm," she said.
Gordon moved to St. John in 1979 after a cousin told him about the island. In a January interview with the Source, the Bronx, New York, native said he had been living in a Bedouin hut in what was then Israeli territory when he decided to make the move to St. John.
A musician, he spent years singing in bars, intermittently working construction and then selling his fossils and minerals. His CD, Dance of Life, is still for sale.
Gordon also spent years crafting his house near Coral Bay, which he and his wife rent as a vacation villa. When his health began to slide downward in 1998 and he could no longer do physical labor, he got involved with developing websites.
In addition to his wife, Gordon is survived by his father, Henry Gordon of New York, and two brothers: Paul Gordon of Orlando and Jeff Gordon of New York. He also has a nephew, Ricky Gordon, who lives in Orlando.
A memorial service is scheduled for 3 to 5 p.m. June 10 at Miss Lucy's Restaurant in Friis Bay. A potluck dinner and music will follow the service.
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