Richard T. Gordon, 81, died Wednesday, June 6, at St. Dominic's Hospital in Jackson, Mississippi, after suffering a heart attack a few days earlier.

Richard was born on August 17, 1936, in Merrick, NY, and grew up in Valley Stream, NY. He was a graduate of Valley Stream Central High School and attended Lehigh University in Pennsylvania and Hofstra University in New York.

Growing up in the post-World War II era, Richard's early jobs included selling Good Humor ice cream on the beaches of Long Island and working as a butcher delivery boy, ferrying packages around town by bike. In high school, he played club league soccer and enjoyed the company of a memorable band of friends.

An avid sports enthusiast, Richard took his future wife, Regis, on their first date to a New York Giants football game at Yankee Stadium, which at the time doubled as a baseball and football stadium. The young couple spent their honeymoon driving across country to California.

Richard worked for 30 years as a draftsman in New York City and on Long Island, mainly for the aeronautics industry. When his children were growing up, he was active with the Cub Scouts and meticulously maintained the family's pool, which kept his children and their friends entertained every summer.

After raising their children, Richard and Regis moved to New Hampshire, where he owned and operated a print shop. Richard's years as a small business owner were particularly satisfying as he built strong relationships with a loyal base of customers who enjoyed his company until he retired and closed up shop.

In 2007, Richard and his wife, Regis, moved to Clinton, Mississippi, to spend their retirement years away from snow and near two of their three children and grandchildren. He was a true New Yorker, but adapted well to life in New Hampshire and then Mississippi. He loved Mississippi's weather and was overjoyed to trade his snow blower for lawn tools, which he used almost daily to keep his yard neatly groomed. His life in Mississippi brought him new experiences and places to travel, and he enjoyed discovering New Orleans, Biloxi, the Mississippi Delta, Chattanooga, Tennessee, and annual family trips to Orange Beach, Alabama.

A great storyteller with a vivid memory of the details of his early life, Richard regularly shared stories about experiences and people from his past during weekly family dinners. A good story brought him great joy as well, and he relished reading his daily newspaper and talking about the news of the day.

Richard was well known for his patience, tenacity and skill for repairing or rebuilding virtually anything. He was never without his pocketknife and no job was too big or too small. He rebuilt car engines, painted and renovated the inside and outside of two of his homes and portions of each of his children's homes, and fixed countless radios, watches, clocks and toys. When he didn't have a repair project to keep him busy, he enjoyed complicated jigsaw puzzles, meticulously sorting each piece before starting his work.

Richard was a lifelong fan of the NY Mets and the NY Jets and enjoyed watching virtually any sport, including his grandchildren's many baseball, softball, basketball and soccer games. He was fortunate to live for the last 11 years four houses away from two of his grandchildren, and blessed by extended visits from his granddaughter from Brooklyn. Richard felt his deepest satisfaction in the company of all three of his grandchildren, who brought him his greatest joy in life.

Richard was preceded in death by his parents, Richard and Edith Gordon; and siblings, Patricia Gary of New Hampshire and Gregory Gordon of California. Survivors include his loving wife of 56 years, Regis Gordon; son, Richard Gordon of Clinton; son and daughter-in-law Thomas and Nazmin Gordon of Brooklyn, NY; daughter and son-in-law Jean and David Cook of Clinton; siblings Barbara MacDonald and Alan Gordon of Ohio; and grandchildren, Sabine (12) and Levi (10) Cook of Clinton and Laila (9) Gordon of Brooklyn, NY.

Visitation will be 5-7 p.m. Sunday, June 10, at Wright & Ferguson Funeral Home, 106 Cynthia St., Clinton. A Funeral Mass will be 11 a.m. Monday, June 11, at Holy Savior Catholic Church, 714 Lindale St., Clinton. A reception will follow in the Parish Center.

The Gordon and Cook families are deeply grateful for the care provided by the staff at St. Dominic's Hospital Critical Care Unit. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the St. Dominic Health Services Foundation, 969 Lakeland Drive, Jackson, MS 39216, foundation@stdom.com.