Educator, author.
Born at Edmonton, Alberta, on 28 July 1920, son of Robert K. Gordon (c1888-?) and Nina Joy (c1886-?), he attended school locally and at Ravenscourt School (1932-1935) in Winnipeg. His studies at the University of Manitoba were interrupted by the Second World War, during which he served in the Navy and rose to the rank of Lieutenant. He served as a naval commando in the Far East Theatre.
Returning from military service, and by then retired as a Lieutentant Commander, he attended the University of Alberta, graduated with Honours (BA) in English and History, and was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship at Oxford, England where he studied from 1948 to 1950. During this time, he also lectured at Magdalen College. While in Alberta, he was the coach of the Alberta Olympic boxing team (1947), as well as the school’s hockey and rugby teams, and commanded four Sea Cadet camps.
Back in Canada, he taught English and French at Upper Canada College at Toronto before accepting the position of Headmaster of St. John’s-Ravenscourt School (1952-1968), following which he joined the Glenbow-Alberta Institute at Calgary as then Executive Director in January 1969. His time there was limited, soon after moving to Victoria, British Columbia, where he was Headmaster who oversaw the merger of St. Michaels and University School as the St. Michaels University School. He and his wife Mary Campbell Lowe (1926-1998) married by the early 1950s and had one son; William E. “Bill” Gordon.
He wrote several novels in the 1970s, including The River Gets Wider (1974), The Jesus Boy (1975), The Lady Who Loved New York (1977), and You'll Hear Me Laughing (1979).
He died at Summerland, British Columbia on 3 September 1979 and was buried locally at the Canyon View Cemetery.
Death registrations [Mary Campbell Gordon], British Columbia Vital Statistics.
1921 Canada census, Library and Archives Canada.
“St. John’s-Ravenscourt gets new Headmaster,” Winnipeg Free Press, 17 May 1952, page 3.
“St John’s-Ravenscourt School announcement,” Winnipeg Free Press, 11 October 1968, page 16.
Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 6 September 1979, page 43.
This page was prepared by Nathan Kramer.
Page revised: 4 February 2023
Memorable Manitobans
This is a collection of noteworthy Manitobans from the past, compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. We acknowledge that the collection contains both reputable and disreputable people. All are worth remembering as a lesson to future generations.
Search the collection by word or phrase, name, place, occupation or other text:
Custom SearchBrowse surnames beginning with:
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | Y | ZBrowse deaths occurring in:
1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024
Send corrections and additions to this page
to the Memorable Manitobans Administrator at biographies@mhs.mb.caCriteria for Memorable Manitobans | Suggest a Memorable Manitoban | Firsts | Acknowledgements
Help us keep
history alive!
