Gordon Russell Minard of Richmond, Virginia, passed away peacefully at the age of 89 at his home on the morning of Saturday, February 7, 2026, with his family by his side. Born June 1936 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, to Russell and Evelyn, he moved to the D.C. area in 1942 with his parents and younger brothers, Thomas and James. Gordon attended Anacostia High School in Southeast Washington, where he marched with the Cadet Corps Band in Eisenhower’s first inauguration and played football with the 1954 District Interhigh Champions. He joined the D.C. Air National Guard as a Bandsman prior to graduating in 1955 and later returned to play trumpet again in Eisenhower’s second inaugural parade.

 

He was called to active duty twice (Lowry AFB in 1960, Andrews AFB in 1961) and earned the National Emergency Service Ribbon for his efforts during the Berlin Crisis. In 1963, he was among the Guardsmen deputized to support the D.C. Police Department during The March on Washington where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech. He completed 12 years of distinguished duty at the rank of Master Sergeant in 1967, having earned the Air Reserve Forces Meritorious Service Ribbon.

 

It was during his time with the Guard that Gordon met the love of his life, Lavenia, at a party hosted by her sister, Tina. The two were married a year later in 1966 in Arlington, Virginia, beginning a devoted 59-year journey together. Just two days after completing his military service, Gordon embarked on a 42-year civilian career as an Electronics Technician at the David W. Taylor Naval Ship Research and Development Center. Lavenia also worked at the facility in Carderock, Maryland for 7 years before the couple became parents of three children at their long-time home in Springfield, Virginia.

His dedication to the Navy’s mission often took him far beyond the model basin for extended trips away from his growing family. He traveled extensively to work on ships for weeks at a time in faraway ports such as Alaska and Hawaii, where he traveled over 50 times. Gordon’s technical expertise supporting the Hydromechanics Department at the Maneuvering and Seakeeping Basin earned him the Navy Meritorious Civilian Service Award in 1993.

 

A relied upon subject matter expert, Gordon steadily climbed the ranks from GS-7 to GS-13 through decades of commitment and hands-on mastery of his craft. He was widely respected for his professional attitude and kind, easygoing manner; his colleagues valued the insight and hard work he brought to every project. He retired from the Navy in 2004 after 36 years of civilian service, adding another five years at the Carderock Naval Surface Warfare Center as a contractor before finally setting aside his life’s work dedicated to the nation’s defense in 2009. 

 

In his personal time, Gordon was a fun-loving outdoorsman and endurance driving enthusiast, who loved skiing, motorcycles, and camping. Throughout his life he enjoyed working on computers and electronics. Though his career often took him across the globe, he was a man of unwavering devotion to his family. He loved sports, religiously watching Washington football, but was even more invested in his children’s endeavors in baseball, gymnastics, and diving. In his retirement, he and Lavenia moved to Richmond, Virginia, to spend their golden years with three generations of the Minard family. Gordon is survived by his wife, their three children, Stephen, Shelly (Jake), and Carla (Mike), as well as five beloved grandchildren. 

 

Family and friends are invited to join a graveside service to celebrate Gordon’s life at noon on Monday, March 30, 2026, at Union Cemetery in Leesburg, Virginia. There will be a reception to follow at Harmony United Methodist Church in Hamilton, Virginia. Please contact shellybailey24@gmail.com to RSVP. 

 

To recognize Gordon’s courageous 9-year battle with Mantle Cell Lymphoma, the family requests donations to the Lymphoma Research Foundation in lieu of flowers. Please visit  https://giving.lymphoma.org/GordonMinard  to help advance research, improve patient care, and offer hope to others affected by this disease.