Hilgrove Hubert Gordon was born in New York City's Metropolitan Hospital to Estina Gardiner on November 14, 1930. He died at 93 on August 28, 2024 in Evanston, IL. Hal was survived by his wife of 31 years, Jeanette Gordon. He was preceded in death by a son, Lawrence Gordon and by a great grandchild, Noah Aycoth. Hal has 7 children: Sharon Lyles, Elizabeth (Don) Braden, Paula Monrose, Peter Gordon, Patricia (Patrick) Baxter, Randy (Karlena) Gordon, and Jocelyn Gordon as well as two stepchildren Bonar (Alejandra) Dailey and Tania (Mark) Hewitt. He has 19 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren.

Six weeks after birth, his mother returned home to Bermuda where Hilgrove,"Hillie" lived the first 12 years of his life with siblings and a large extended family. The highlight of those years was fishing for cod, easily catching lobster or crab for dinner and swimming. It was then that Hillie developed exceptional skills in the water which would one day help save his life.

In 1942, Hillie arrived in New York Harbor to live with his father, Norris Gordon, and his American family. Spanish Harlem was a very different life from his carefree days in Bermuda. He worked summers and part time during school and excelled in his classes. He received the nickname, Hal, from his first teacher in the United States.

Because Hal was on his own after his father died a couple of months before his high school graduation, he joined the US Navy in 1948 for "3 meals and a bed." The Korean War started in 1950. Hal held various positions but eventually served as a frogman specializing in underwater tactical operations and demolition. From his childhood in Bermuda, he knew the types of shoreline vegetation that provided food and water and could float for long periods of time with minimal effort. This knowledge and experience allowed Hal to survive in the water for three days when heavy fog prevented the planned rescue by their ship. Out of 100 men who went on that mission, Hal was one of the only two who survived.

Shortly after, the Navy promoted Hal to the rank of Lieutenant Junior Grade to provide training in the survival skills that saved his life. He did this before his transfer to the USS Smalley (DD-565). Being one of the few Black commissioned officers in those days had its challenges. Hal's first Navy captain reorganized his entire ship so that none of the White sailors would report to a Black officer.

Hal was discharged from military service in 1952. He received the Purple Heart, the US Navy/Marine Corps Medal of Honor, the Navy Good Conduct Medal, UN Korean Service Combat Medal, the Korean PUC (awarded on behalf of the South Korean government), the Combat Service Commemorative Medal, and the Navy Service and Overseas Service awards.

With the GI bill, Hal was able to pursue his dream of a higher education, earning both a BS and MBA from Columbia University. His career path led him to various impactful roles in healthcare and social services. He distinguished himself in the following positions:

● Assistant Director for a drug rehabilitation program for Vietnam veterans.

● Personnel Director at the Brooklyn Cumberland Hospital System with multiple promotions until he eventually became the Director.

● Executive Director of Paterson Unity Against Drug Abuse in Paterson, NJ

● Developer of a comprehensive drug prevention program in Hamilton, Bermuda

Following his career in health care, Hal found entrepreneurial and corporate success in these areas:

● He partnered to establish the Zodiac Palace night club in Hamilton, Bermuda which was the first major business operation for a Black Bermudian. The club featured top-named performers from the US and the Caribbean. While in the US, Hal had formed a steel band with musicians from Trinidad.

● Hal achieved remarkable success in sales and management at Xerox Corporation.

● He retired from Network Equipment Technologies (NET) as the top regional sales manager.

Hal always loved jazz and Caribbean music, had been an avid reader, enjoyed sports and watched news programs. He cherished any time he had with family. Hal wanted others to achieve their aspirations and was generous with career advice whenever it was requested. Hal was a fascinating story teller. He was an eternal optimist and had an unbelievably calm and patient personality.

Hal had a very strong faith in Jesus. As a young boy, he told his grandmother he saw Jesus walking on the water at Dockyard in Bermuda. Later, while swimming and seeking rescue in Korean waters, he once again saw Jesus walking on the water, this time motioning for him to continue when he was ready to give up. He swam on which saved his life. However, Hal was anxious to move on and follow Jesus again. He said in his final days, "All of my dreams in this lifetime have been met."

We are so grateful that just a few weeks before his passing his family gathered for a reunion near his home. While Hal was unable to attend, he met family members with their children on the patio of the nursing home. Adults from Bermuda and the US also took turns visiting him that weekend. What an amazing blessing that he could meet with them during that time.

The Celebration of Life service will be held at Unity Des Plaines on Nov. 2nd at 3:00 PM. 259 E. Central Road, Des Plaines, IL 60016. A celebratory dinner will take place at 5:00 at the Friendship Conservatory 395 W. Algonquin Rd. Des Plaines, IL 60016. Please RSVP to jeanettemgordon@gmail.com by Friday, October 24th if you plan to attend.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to our church, Unity Des Plaines at

https://app.easytithe.com/App/Giving/unw or to Doctors Without Borders at https://donate.doctorswithoutborders.org/secure/donate-now-multistep