Read out at Gordons Funeral by a close friend "O Captain, my Captain! For over 35 years, Gordon skippered the organisation I work for in a totally voluntary capacity - he was the figurehead the source of inspiration, and the driving force at its heart. I first met him 20 years ago when he was the same age as I am now he interviewed me, and being Gordon, had a unique way of taking up a reference. I only found out a year later - that he had travelled to Springburn in Glasgow, and virtually interrogated, my Chairman, my colleagues, and even the cleaning staff on his way out - about my character. When I tackled him about this, a grin slowly appeared on his face, almost taking over it - and he told me Well I had to make sure you weren't a smackhead! With those he came into contact with his humour is legend Bigger than life - and twice as funny - he had an uncanny and wholly natural ability, to lift you out of the mundane and ordinary just by being around him, or having a conversation with him taking you into a world where, things looked new and different, and where adventure and excitement was always right there in front of you. People would raise their heads and smile at his approach confident that they would be left with their mood and their spirit uplifted - having enjoyed the encounter as a mini-event, an occasion, a celebration. Gordon the showman, the businessman, the conversationalist his distinctive speech pattern 900 miles an hour ensured that our Board meetings and Annual General Meetings were among the fastest in the West. He would also do the reverse and slow down so much that you thought that he thought you were foreign Hello this is Gor Don MAC Dowall Franzi keep that answering machine message - its classic His cheeky grin when he scored a non-politically correct hit with the crowd knowing full well he'd crossed a boundary a boundary that he and very few others would even dare cross, never mind being congratulated for. I heard it say of him Aye he'd get a piece at anybody's door I know we have some English friends with us here today so just to let you know that's a jeely piece famous in Glasgow for mothers in tenements feeding their weans or offspring. He had a greeting for everyone for me - it was Slim!, Wee Man, Frankie Boy! You all know your own. In return I had to re-christen him GORDON! He would almost always start a conversation with a joke and leave you with a joke most of them I have to say were pretty awful! but he delivered them with such style and such panache with his expressions and movements being by far - at least ten times better than the joke itself - that you let him away with it and actually looked forward to the next one. In recent years according to him Franzi had banned him from biscuits (I don't know if that's true) so he would saunter up to our offices in Lanark, sit me down for our regular meeting and proceed to consume a plateful of them whatever the variety - with a big mug of black coffee - without once pausing the conversation - mouth full or not! The man could talk! But it wasn't all good humour and side slapping. He believed passionately in social justice, and the rights and emergence of the common weal - as sovereign, he saw the real power to change things as resting with ordinary folks, with institutions serving rather than driving their agenda. Gordon back in the 70's, was one of the first ever chairs of the Scottish network of CVS which championed such a notion, and himself championed all movements to give a greater voice to local community and voluntary sector organisations. In recent months he was playing his part in negotiations with the Scottish Government to enshrine this philosophy within new national arrangements come 2011 which will give a new meaning and power to community led action throughout Scottish politics at a local, regional and national level. A 35 year journey about to bear significant fruit. It is a legacy to the Clydesdale community - from Gordon - that as a founder member of ALVO the Association of Local Voluntary Organisations, he took it from being a concept, then on to a fledgling shoebox and shoestring outfit - operating out of a broom cupboard, to one which now averages a turnover of between one third and half a million pounds per year, owns a property portfolio worth around one million pounds, and generates through its activities, an additional annual inward investment of around £1million in the form of local projects. Oh how we've laughed and now we cry - O Captain, my Captain! Inspiring Incorrigible Irreverent Indefatigable - Wendy, Gordon - remember that! and Irreplaceable Gordon - I and all who have been on board ALVO salute you we've enjoyed the voyages and adventures under your watch, and will sorely miss - your always encouraging - onward cry!" ------------------------------------------------------------ ***************************************************************** PLEASE READ - Total Online and Offline Funds Raised as at 05/06/2009 is £2015.00 - will be next updated around the end of June 2009 ***************************************************************** Note from Wendy Mc Dowall to all readers - I have been informed by the site developers that unfortunately, at this moment in time, any funds that were/are donated in the form of a cheque as opposed to cash, or a direct online donation, will not be shown in the running total amount. So what I've done is kept a running total here, which amounts to the online total you see here, plus any cheques that I have received by people, which I have then forwarded onto The Foundation (offline donations). I am also in regular contact with the British Lung Foundation about research, and in due course, I will post results of any developments online. ************************************************************** UPDATE ON GORDON JNR'S WALK ************************************************************** To date 5/6/2009 Gordon's friends/family and colleagues have amazingly donated £1035.00 in total. Brilliant, and many many thanks to all who have contributed so far. I've enjoyed reading your well wishing comments to my brother, and it's soon down to Gordon to fulfil the task successfully!!!