02/26/2025

Obituary for Spencer Gordon

Funeral Director, Former Owner and Father of Craig Gordon, both of Formet-Clevenger & Gordon Funeral Home

Age 85, of Canton, passed away Sunday, December 8, 2024. He was born Dec. 11, 1938 in Canton, a son of the late Eugene and Nancy (Norris) Gordon, grew up in East Sparta, and had been a Canton resident since 1968. He was a 1956 graduate of Sandy Valley High School and also Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science. He was a Licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer since 1964 and had owned Formet-Clevenger & Gordon Funeral Home in Canton since 1971 and Finefrock -Gordon Funeral Home in Magnolia since 1986.  Spencer was a third-generation funeral director, following his grandfather, U. R. Gordon, who founded Gordon Funeral Home in Mineral City in 1918, and his father, Eugene, who opened Gordon Funeral Home in East Sparta in 1937. His son, Craig joined the business in 1997 to carry on the family tradition of funeral directors. 

Spencer was a member of Church of The Lakes, and a long-time member of the former Calvary Presbyterian Church, the National and Ohio Funeral Directors Associations, and served as President of District 16 of OFDA in 1977-78. One of the proudest things he accomplished was serving as Chairman of a Canton City Schools Levy in the 1990’s that led to the complete renovation of Fawcett Stadium and improved all the schools so that the children of Canton would have access to everything, including computers, to compete in today’s world.  Other memberships included Canton Lodge #60 F. & A.M., the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, Valley of Canton, Tadmor Temple, Nazir Grotto, Canton Shrine Club, and member and Paul Harris Fellow of Canton Rotary Club.

At the age of 52 Spencer rekindled his love of baseball and began playing for the Canton Masters, an over-50 team that played in a league in Northeast Ohio. At the same time, he began attending the Cleveland Indians Fantasy Camp, which he attended for 16 straight years, making many lasting friendships with Indians players and fellow campers until this day. In 2007 he was honored by induction into the Greater Canton Area Baseball Hall of Fame.

Spencer is survived by his wife Becky Gordon, with whom he celebrated their 35th Wedding Anniversary on Sept. 9th, three daughters, one son, and three grandchildren, Sharon and Shawn Lorden, Lori and Tom Collier, and their son, Duncan, Ally and David Rowe, and Craig Gordon and his daughters, Megan and Audrey.