Remembering Andy Gordon

I met Andy Gordon in the early 80's when I was visiting some friends just outside of Cruz Bay. I heard him singing in the apartment next door where he lived with his cousin. We became fast friends. I had moved to Cruz Bay the year before with my 6 year old Son Matt. I worked several different jobs and Andy thought I should get a night off so he decided to babysit for me one night a week. I took that opportunity to take on another shift in The ol' Back Yard and would come home to the two of them doing science projects, looking through the telescope and talking about things I couldn't understand. I still can't remember the speed of light. Whenever Matt asked me something I didn't know my pat answer was "Go ask Andy".

I did love Andy's stories about his Dad working on the set with Captain Kangaroo and doing special effects in the early days of television. Along with his stories about his brothers Paul and Jeff, his travels and his music.

When Matt was 7 I bought him an Atari 400 computer as I realized his world would be computers. That was Andys first experience with computers too and the two of them learned fast. They both grew up to work on the computer.

Andy and Matt

Years later we each bought land with friends of ours and built next door to each other. Here is Andy in the beginning of building the Dinosaur House as it came to be known.

When Andy started St John Links he found out he had Myasthenia Gravis. I learned that meant a grave muscular weakness. When he used a muscle for a while the brain would quit making the muscle work. So when he would click the mouse on the computer his finger would not lift after awhile. That's where I came in. I became his mouse finger and from there St John Links became what it is today. We worked side by side for many years. I will miss my friend Andy Gordon. I hope to see him again someday and maybe by then I will have learned the speed of light.

"Mean" Jean

Dorie and Andy

And I (Dorie) stepped into the picture only 3 short years ago,
but these three years were so rich with the love that Andy and I shared,
it feels like so much more than 3 years. We were together 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,
working side by side at our computers, as well as continuing the work on the house to bring it to a point
where Andy could be so happy to look around and exclaim "It's Done!"
We spent long hours just sitting by our Koi pond, listening to the waterfalls,
watching the hummingbirds come for a drink in the falls, and the fish swimming around,
and just plain enjoying life together.
We laughed together all the time, and I think I will miss our laughter more than anything else.
We were just so happy together.
I feel so grateful that I had this time with Andy,
and that I got to be the one to help bring him such happiness in his last years of life.
It truly feels like I was given a treasure that I will always hold so dear in my heart,
our love