Ellis County Obituary
Harmon Cemetery

aka Fairview aka Highland aka Highland Fairview

© Shaw-Redinger Funeral Homes
VICI, DEWEY CO, OK
(permission granted)
Submitted by: Ann Weber

GORDON LEROY RICHARD

April 28, 1934 - September 25, 2017

Gordon Leroy Richard, 83, was born at the family farm near Harmon, OK, on Saturday, April 28, 1934, with Dr. Geneva Frey in attendance; the second of four children born to "Roy" Rolla and Elsie "Evelyn"(Gray) Richard. After a brave battle with cancer, Gordon completed the mortal phase of his existence on Monday, September 25, 2017, going home to be with the Lord in Paradise.

Gordon attended grade school at the Harmon District 66 rural school, one mile west of Harmon, graduating in 1948; then attended Arnett High School, graduating in 1952. He then enrolled at Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, where he graduated in 1959 with a B.S. in physics, taking a break from 1954 to 1956 to serve in the U.S. Army as a Nike 1 Guided Missile radar operator and maintenance technician. He completed training at Ft. Bliss, Texas, then served the rest of his enlistment with the Nike 1 Missile System, Washington-Baltimore Defense Ring, at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Maryland.

After completing college, Gordon worked for the Boeing Company in Wichita, Kansas, as a flight test instrumentation/navigation physicist, on the B-52 Bomber. Following his stint with Boeing, he worked for Minneapolis Honeywell, Aero Division in St. Petersburg, Florida, doing research and developmental testing of inertial navigation systems. The lure of the missile launching and tracking activities at Cape Canaveral induced Gordon to take a position with the RCA - Missile Test Project at the Kennedy Space Flight Center. His work there was in the field of radar tracking and computer orbital control of missiles being launched.

A progressive nerve deafness condition made it necessary for Gordon to change to a type of employment where phone and radio communications were not required. He worked for a time at Tinker AFB, Advanced Product Planning and Development, then transferred to the Federal Aviation Administration at Will Rogers World Airport, to teach Radar Principles at the FAA Flight Control School. Profound deafness forced him into early retirement in 1977.

After his first retirement, Gordon became involved with Dr. Jack Hough and a group of Otologists who later established the Hough Ear Institute in Oklahoma City. This work consisted of research and development of implantable hearing devices. Eventually, Gordon was fitted with one of these implantable hearing devices - a Cochlear Implant, and his hearing was restored to a reasonably functional level. Gordon continued to work with Hough Ear Institute until his final retirement in 2003.

Gordon is survived by his wife of 25 years, Sharon (Schroeder); three sons: Steven, Mark, and Kenneth; step daughter Kat; five step grandchildren and six step great grandchildren, along with many nieces and nephews. Gordon was predeceased by his parents; three sisters Burma, Jeannie, and Vera; as well as his son, Jon; stepson, Ronnie; nephew Rusty; great nephew Bryan; and brothers-in-law Frank and Bob.

Gordon has been a firm, if somewhat unconventional believer and follower of Christ since his early teen years. This commitment has been very harmoniously reinforced during his later years through his studies of Super String Theory. The multiverse of Super String Theory and the seven levels of Heaven are overwhelmingly congruent. It was without any doubts or apprehensions that he believed that he passed on from this life into immortality.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Hearing Loss Association of America - Central Oklahoma Chapter, P.O. Box 42801, Oklahoma City, OK 73123-2801.