Andrew Gary Gordon, 66, passed away suddenly at his home in Washington, DC on May 2, 2020. He was the proud father of Joshua Gordon, 28, and Jacob Gordon, 25. He is also survived by two brothers, Terry and Michael. 

 

Andy was born on February 27, 1954 in Portsmouth, Ohio, the youngest of three sons to Harold “Buddy” W. Gordon and Doris Segel Gordon. As a child, Andy discovered his lifelong love of mystery novels and dreamed of being a rock star. At the age of twelve, he was diagnosed with juvenile Type I diabetes. Andy learned to independently manage his blood sugar levels with daily insulin shots and excelled at Liberty High School, where he graduated in 1972. He then followed his brothers to attend the University of Michigan, where he worked part-time in the university library before graduating in 1976 with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science. Inspired by his reading of Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring, Andy attended Georgetown Law School where he became interested in environmental law. After earning his J.D. in 1979, Andy worked as an attorney for 25 years with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the Office of General Counsel, where he tackled issues such as hazardous waste, pesticides and clean air and water through five White House administrations.

 

Andy met Holly Stallworth at the EPA and they married in 1987. Together, they raised two sons, Joshua (born 1992) and Jacob (born 1994), in Silver Spring, MD. Andy and Holly managed a busy household working full time, commuting to EPA and attending Josh and Jake’s school and sports activities through their high school graduations in 2009 and 2012. Andy was a loving and thoughtful father who shared his passion for reading and learning, a sense of service and a keen appreciation for both the comedy and absurdity of life. Andy was an intuitive and empathetic listener, who touched people with his insightful questions. To those who knew him well, he was a happy-go-lucky jokester who never took himself too seriously. Until the day he died, he started his day with a cup of coffee and a print copy of the Washington Post.

 

He was thrilled to see his children flourish through college and into their adult years, and was looking forward to attending Jake's graduation from Physician Assistant school in May and Josh's wedding to Erin Hylton in September 2020.

 

Following his retirement from EPA in 2004, Andy went back to school at the University of Maryland to pursue a master’s degree in Library Sciences. He worked as a part-time librarian in the Montgomery County system where he initiated and hosted talks with some of his favorite crime novel authors such as Laura Lippman and George Pelecanos. Community members would come to the library specifically to consult with Andy for his book recommendations and reference skills. He also worked at Prince George’s Community College where he taught information literacy classes. Andy always kept friends and family with a supply of something good to read. 

 

Throughout his life, Andy dealt with the daily maintenance and existential risk of being a Type I diabetic. He hoped for a cure and stayed up to date with current medical research. In 2010, Andy applied for an experimental study to receive an islet cell transplant from the University of Pennsylvania hospital. The surgery was initially successful and Andy enjoyed a new insulin-independent lifestyle. Unfortunately, in the fall of 2011, Andy began to have significant breathing issues and was diagnosed with a devastating bout of pneumonia due to his immunosuppression from the transplant. After weeks of intensive care and months of physical therapy, Andy recovered his strength but, two years after the transplant, his body rejected the islet cells. In an essay for the American Diabetes Association (ADA), he wrote about his dashed hopes for a "life free of finger pricking, carb-counting, bolus calculations, basal rate adjustments and sudden episodes of low blood sugar that came on without warning." The ADA honored Andy with a medal for successfully managing his Type I diabetes for 50 years. 

 

In 2014, Andy moved to Woodley Park, DC. He spent his time volunteering at the Smithsonian Castle and the National Gallery of Art where he became close with his fellow docents.  As an art lover and historian, he explored the galleries, concert halls and theatres in DC, New York and Philly. He forged many deep friendships in his short time living in the city. After taking an online course with the Museum of Modern Art on artists of the New York School, Andy started painting with inspiration from Barnett Newman and Mark Rothko. When he died, Andy was reading A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens and Ninth Street Women by Mary Gabriel.

 

Andrew Gordon was beloved by his family and friends. He was a devoted and proud father. He impacted many lives with his kindness and service. He will be missed greatly.