Obituary of Joseph Gordon Likely

Joseph Gordon Likely Jr., 90, passed away peacefully Sunday, December 18, 2016 in Duluth, MN with his children nearby. Gordon was born in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada on January 5, 1926 to Joseph Gordon Likely Sr and Ethel (Creighton) Likely. The youngest of four children, Gordon excelled in academics and music. He played piano recitals and played church organ as a teen. He also enjoyed summers in Westfield, N.B. with his friends canoeing, swimming and sailing on the Saint John River. After graduation from Saint John High School in 1944, he enrolled in Toronto University in the Engineering Physics program, receiving his bachelors degree in 1948, and his masters in Applied Mathematics in 1949. He also worked at the Chalk River Nuclear Reactor. He pursued graduate studies in physics at Princeton University starting in 1949, becoming an Instructor in 1953. He moved to the University of Minnesota Minneapolis in 1955 to further pursue research and teaching, publishing four papers. He took a position at the Duluth campus (UMD) in 1961, starting a thirty year career, holding the titles of Lecturer, Instructor and Assistant Professor. He is remembered for his demonstration-rich lectures in physics and astronomy. As a graduate student, Gordon owned a Melges M16 racing scow he named Flip Flop II. Nephews and cousins still fondly remember sailing on this boat with Uncle Gordon. When he moved to Duluth, Gordon lived in an apartment below that of Joan Nelson. Being a fellow academic, they got to know each other and became friends. On Feb 12, 1964 Gordon got the courage a bit too early one morning to phone Joan to tell her he was in love. Joan asked who the lucky girl was, and Gordon replied well, you are; and Joan, needing more sleep, grumpily asked that he write her a letter about it, and hung up. So Gordon wrote what Joan described as the most beautiful letter expressing his love and admiration for her, and on March 21 of 1964 they were married. Gordon and Joan had two sons, James in 1965 and Scott in 1968. They enjoyed canoeing, sailing, and summer trailer camping, visiting friends, family and places across the country. Gordon and Joan were volunteer leaders in scouting and were active in Glen Avon Presbyterian Church, where Gordon sang in the choir, and occasionally played piano or organ. They enjoyed symphony, opera and theater. In retirement they explored the world on many elder hostel trips, and were active in University for Seniors at UMD, where Gordon taught some classes. They lavished attention on their dachshunds and small poodles, and kept each home and garden they had neat and orderly. In 2010 they moved to Westwood independent living. Gordon enjoyed swimming, bicycling, skiing, and jogging throughout much of his life, and in his later years kept his level of fitness up with daily walking, until his health started to decline in March 2016. Gordon was preceded in death by his parents, siblings Herb, John and Ruth. Joan also preceded Gordon in death in June 2014, after fifty years of marriage. Gordon is survived by his children James (Sandi) Likely of Minneapolis, and Scott (Jane Schaffer) Likely of Portland, Oregon, his grandchildren Steven and Caleb, as well as many nieces and nephews. The family would like to extend a special thank you to the residents and staff of Westwood, Westwood Terrace, and Marywood, the staff of Essentia Hospice, and Pastor Robyn Weaver for the wonderful friendship and care Gordon received. A visitation at 1 pm and memorial service at 2 pm will occur on Saturday January 21 at Glen Avon Presbyterian Church, 2105 Woodland Ave, Duluth. A reception will follow the service. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Glen Avon Church.