Dr. Elliott Gordon

Dr. Elliott Gordon, age 87, of Bondville and Manchester Center, Vermont and Ridgewood, New Jersey passed away at his home on June 10, 2021 from complications due to Parkinson’s disease. Many people felt he had one of the sweetest dispositions of anyone they had ever met. Born in Jersey City, New Jersey on October 29, 1933, to Benjamin and Rose (Grunstein) Gordon, he grew up there and as a young musician played the clarinet and saxophone in his high school marching and dance bands and the all state orchestra. He also spent summers in the Catskills where he gained a love of the outdoors and began playing for audiences at hotels and resorts. Later when he went to the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, from which he graduated in 1957, he founded a Dixieland jazz band called the Muskat Ramblers and continued to play during the summers both in the Catskills and Poconos. Upon graduation, Elliott joined the United States Army and after basic training became a Captain. He was assigned to a base in Baumholder, Germany where one night in the Officer’s Club he met Carol, a teacher with the U.S. Army Dependent Schools, who he would marry in 1959. When he returned to New Jersey, Elliott went through specialty training in Pediatric Dentistry at Columbia University and after graduating founded Pediatric Dental Associates in Ridgewood, NJ where he worked until retirement in 1996. He was associated with Valley Hospital and he taught dentistry at Fairleigh Dickinson University. He volunteered dental care for children at the Eastern Christian Children's Retreat and the Forum School. He was a Fellow of Pediatric Dentistry and a Diplomate of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. Upon his retirement, he and Carol moved to Vermont where Elliott utilized his passion for skiing by joining the Stratton Mountain Trailblazers and starting a second career teaching children to ski. He was also a mountain host and guide at Stratton for the next decade. Elliott’s other passions included tennis, running (he even ran a marathon), bicycling, hiking and back packing (his highlight being a 5 day solo trip along the Long Trail). He also dabbled in writing, sculpture, and other art making. After just recently celebrating their 62nd wedding anniversary, upon his passing he leaves behind his one true love, his wife Carol. He is also survived by his son Brant of Los Angeles, California, his son Keith and his wife Lora of Portland, Oregon, his son-in-law Bryan of Ranch Mirage, California and his beloved grandchildren Grace, Camille, Sarah, Jane, Sam and David. He was pre-deceased by his daughter Gail Gordon-Kocen in 2018. A celebration of Elliott’s life was held at the Manchester Country Club on Saturday June 19th from 5:30 to 7:30 pm. If you wish to honor him, please send donations to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research or the VNA & Hospice of the Southwest Region.