Gordon Gotberg

Gordon Norman Gotberg died January 1, 2022. He was 84. He was born March 15, 1937 in Detroit, Michigan, to Ejner and Hazel Gotberg.

He earned an associate’s degree in business administration from North Park Junior College in 1956 and then attended Wayne State University to study mechanical engineering. While he was at North Park, he met Nadia Johnson and they were married on June 14, 1958 in Alexandria, Minnesota.

Gordon began his career as a pattern maker in the automotive industry at Automotive Pattern Company in Detroit in 1958. He began working for Ford Motor Company in 1965. He then worked at several independent pattern making companies including, Anderson Pattern, Monarch Pattern, and Commerce Engineering and Pattern before returning to Ford Motor Company in 1989 where he worked until he retired in 1998.

During the summer months, Gordon could be found sailboat racing as a member of Pontiac Yacht Club, Spring Lake Yacht Club, and Muskegon Yacht Club. During the winter, he would work on his boats, sanding them down, tweaking, and repairing them to be just a few minutes faster for the next season. He saw to it that each of his four children learned to sail, and they often joined him as his crew in races and regattas. Gordon was a skilled woodworker, creating furniture and building his own kayak. He also loved singing tenor in the choir at church.

He is survived by his wife, Nadia: children Marcy (Michael) Etienne, Kevin (Jane) Gotberg, Linda (David) Sladkey, Gary (Brita) Gotberg; eight grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. He is also survived by sisters Janet (Val) Spangler and Claire (Ray) Schlaff.

Peace be to his memory.