Roger Burnham Gordon

Roger Burnham Gordon, age 84, of Wilmington, Delaware, died peacefully on December 20, 2017 after a long illness.

Roger was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan to Marion Searle and Wallace Emerson Gordon. He is a graduate of Mt. Pleasant High School (’51), Lafayette College (’55 Chemistry) and Ohio State University (MBA).   It was at Ohio State where he met Mary Virginia Briggs, his loving wife of 53 years who preceded him in death in 2013.

Following two years of military service in the Army, Roger joined the DuPont Company in 1959 where he served in many marketing, sales, and business capacities in the Plastics and Polymers Departments. He retired and subsequently acquired the Dymetrol business from DuPont in 1993, where he served as President & CEO until 2012.

Roger was a member of the Wilmington Club and the Wilmington Country Club, and was active in development and sale of several properties in Stone Harbor, NJ, where he and his family loved to vacation.

He served as Chair of the Every Member Canvass at Christ Church Christiana Hundred, and was active in several Lafayette College alumni activities including hosting the annual alumni Christmas party for over 30 years; he also served as Class President for several reunions including the 50th in 2005. He was Wilmington Friends School’s Board of Trustees Chair of the Capital Campaign 1989-1991. He was named Mt. Pleasant High School Most Outstanding Athlete in ‘50-’51, then he went on to pitch for the Lafayette College baseball team which advanced to the College World Series (Omaha, NE) in 1953 & 1954.

Roger was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend who will be missed by the many people who loved him. He is survived by his step-sister Wendy Wise and her husband Alex of Wilmington, DE; his children Scott Gordon and his wife Lisa of Midlothian, VA; Steve Gordon and his wife Angelique of East Fallowfield, PA; Julie Gordon Beverly and her husband Whit of Newtown Square, PA; nine grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, January 3, at 2:00 pm at Christ Church Christiana Hundred, 505 East Buck Road, Wilmington, DE. Interment will be private.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Roger’s name to Christ Church Christiana Hundred, P.O. Box 3510, Greenville, DE 19807.