Barbara Gordon

Barbara Ann Gordon was born in St. Louis, MO, in 1946 to Sylvia and Irvin Birenboim and grew up in Kansas City. After spending summers at camp in Wisconsin, she studied English at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where she met her future husband, artist Harvey Gordon. Barbara and Harvey married after her graduation in 1968. They lived together in New York, Maryland, and Kansas before settling down in Kalamazoo, MI. There, they brought up three children, David, Sarah, and Rachel. While doing so, Barbara attended graduate school at Western Michigan University, obtaining an MA in Public Administration in the early 1980s. She worked as Director of the YWCA Sexual Assault Program before beginning her 16-year career with the City of Kalamazoo, where she eventually served as Assistant City Manager for Economic Development. In this position, her dedication to and personal investment in her community helped to build the foundations for today's thriving Kalamazoo. Barbara was dedicated to improving the lives of women and families in Kalamazoo. She was active in women's organizations and behind the scenes in local politics, volunteering her time to make a difference in the region. Barbara and Harvey moved to Glen Arbor in 2004, where Barbara continued her commitment to public service by sitting on several local and county committees. Barbara was a loving and supportive mother and wife, an empathetic friend, a perceptive listener, and had a wonderful sense of humor. She loved to share meals with family and friends, and she always cheered for the Michigan Wolverines. Barbara is survived by her devoted husband, her children David Gordon (Nichole Argyres), Sarah Gordon (Martin Saad) and Rachel Gordon, and her grandchildren Griffen Argyres-Gordon, Gabriel Saad and Aaron Saad. Donations in her memory would be welcome at the following organizations: University of Michigan Alzheimer's Disease Center (online at www.alzheimers.med.umich.edu) or The Leelanau Conservancy (online at www.leelanauconservancy.org) Please visit www.reynolds-jonkhoff.com to share memories and thoughts with Barbara's family. The family is being cared for by Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Traverse City.