Albert McCague Gordon

It is with great sorrow, and celebration of a life well-lived, that we announce the death of our beloved father Albert McCague Gordon, July 2nd 2023.

Albert Gordon entered this world September 23, 1934, in the American Mission Hospital in Tanta, Egypt born to Rev. Livingstone and Mrs. Sara Gordon who were Missionaries living in Alexandria, Egypt. After a short stay, the family (including Albert's older brother William and older sister Margaret) moved to Ohio, where Albert learned to play tennis and basketball, piano and choir, and developed his life-long love of science.

A gifted student, Albert was valedictorian in high school and went on to graduate Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Rochester with a BS degree in Physics. From there, he earned a Ph.D. in physics from Cornell University, and moved to University College in London with his first wife Betty Nye to work on a Post-Doctoral thesis in Biophysics with Sir Andrew Huxley.

In 1962, Albert took a Post-doctorate position at the University of Washington Medical school, where he started his own research studying heart muscle physiology and taught medical students. He would eventually become a full-professor, and very influential in the Biophysics Department at UW. During this time, daughter Sarah Nye and son Andrew McCague were born, and Albert would meet his second wife Della Lee Belleman, to whom he would be devoted until her death May 3rd 2022.

Albert and Della became very involved in Seattle politics, their church in Seattle and eventually Cocoa Beach, FL, where they would spend time working in the yard and avoiding the Seattle winters. There, they enjoyed family visits, many trips to Disney, and time spent with friends. They would eventually move to Gaithersburg, MD to be closer to family.

Albert was smart, funny, kind and believed strongly in service to others. He loved travel and discovering new cultures. He loved classical music, theater, and opera, and loved sharing and teaching. He was one of the kindest humans and will be greatly missed by family, friends, and colleagues.

Albert's parents and siblings preceded him in death. He is survived by his daughter Sarah Ederle and husband Mike, son Andrew Gordon and wife Kristina, daughter Dana Lynn Allard and husband Scot, and six grandchildren, and seven great grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, donations should be made to Breast Cancer Research Foundation and the MS Society.