Mark Gordon

Mark George Gordon – a devoted brother, father, grandfather, partner and friend – died peacefully surrounded by those he loved on July 30, 2026 after a sudden illness. He was 71.

Mark was born Nov. 7, 1954 in Merced, California, the second of Robert and Virginia Gordon’s four children. Robert, who retired as a lieutenant colonel after 29 years in the Air Force, eventually moved the family to Boise, Idaho. Mark was a good athlete at Bishop Kelly High School, where he played basketball and football and graduated in 1972. He attended the University of Idaho, graduating in 1976 with a degree in Civil Engineering and remained a proud Vandal for life. He joined Phi Gamma Delta (Fiji) and enjoyed a 50-year reunion with his fraternity brothers last March.

Mark wrote many chapters during his rich life – engineer, golfer, nature lover, fisherman, thinker – and friends remained a constant as he traveled the globe before returning to Boise. In 1979, he began an 18-month contract with Morrison-Knudsen in Saudi Arabia, and he also worked in Challis, Idaho, Salt Lake City and Albuquerque, New Mexico. He later joined Trus Joist, where he worked for 32 years in the engineering and sales groups, routinely achieving national top-sales awards. Mark then showed his entrepreneurial side by launching Gordon Home Inspections, which operated in Treasure Valley for more than 10 years.

He was a wonderful father to Jane and Jack, the two kids he raised. The three of them shared many memorable moments, from family trips to conversations around the house. Mark instilled a love of music, humor and nature in his kids. Many drives were extended to view more scenic routes. More than once he brought home a bull snake, stored in his golf bag, for the kids to keep in a terrarium before releasing it a few weeks later. He was always there for his kids, and the daily conversations and weekly family visits are painfully missed.

Mark was a river-rafting, fly-fishing, morel-foraging, biking-hiking outdoorsman and an avid golfer. He scored seven holes-in-one and teed off at the crack of dawn most weekday mornings at Warm Spring Golf Course in Boise. Alongside him for every shot, as she watched for geese, was his beloved dog, Stevie – aka Stevie Wonderful.

Mark also was a winemaker who grew his own grapes, a do-it-yourselfer who showed up with tools to fix things for friends and family, and a car buff whose final project was meticulously restoring a muscle car – his bright blue 1969 AMC AMX.

Mark also was a doting uncle and grandfather. Papa made sure he was a constant presence in his grandkids lives, driving Elliot and Ollie to soccer, volleyball, football and basketball games, not to mention swim and golf lessons. Mark always made a point to be there for those he loved. He somehow balanced being direct and cheeky with being solid and loving. Mark rarely left his house without bumping into someone he knew, whether it was a childhood friend or a BK classmate.

He found the love of his life 17 years ago. Murry O’Donnell was skeptical of the tall, handsome man wearing his iconic quarter-zip on that first date. She shared three things that were important for him to understand: She didn’t enjoy golf, she would always have a dog in her life and she wasn’t interested in marrying again. Mark called her a few days later and asked if Murry and her dog would join him for dinner at his house. If that dual invitation didn’t convince her Mark was special, walking inside his home did. The bachelor pad she expected was filled with family pictures, mementos and his kids’ art projects. Mark and Murry’s years together were their happiest and most peaceful.

Mark had strong opinions that extended to politics and social justice in his later years. After all, he came from a long line of self-made men and women, as well as political activists. Mark’s paternal grandmother was a suffragette and labor leader, and his grandfather headed up the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression. Mark’s maternal grandparents were Polish immigrants. Mark cared deeply about our world and our people, and he knew we could do so much better.

Mark exuded kindness, curiosity and positivity. He seemed to make every moment memorable. Morning walks, hikes or bike rides were adventures filled with identifying birds, reptiles, rock formations and plants throughout Idaho and beyond. His sharp mind and boundless energy made his unexpected death a shock to all who knew him.

He was preceded in death by his mother and father. He is survived by his children Jane (Chris Cassidy) and Jack Gordon of Boise; grandchildren Elliot and Ollie; life partner Murry O'Donnell of Boise and her son Christopher Ralston (Kristin and son Reilly) of Austin; siblings Robert Gordon (Margie) of Spokane, Kathy Gordon of Vancouver, Washington, and Gayle Gordon (Becky Torgler) of Boise; nephews Ian Gordon (Melissa) of Spokane, Luke Gordon (Claire) of Sandpoint, Theo and Zach Murphy of Boise; and great nephews and nieces Taylor, Ella, Julian and Viola Gordon. He maintained a 50-plus year friendship with his bestie, Pat Mills (Kay Vaughan) of Boise.

An open house celebration of Mark’s extraordinarily ordinary life will be held Sunday, Oct. 11 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Warm Springs Golf Course in Boise, where Mark chased golf balls and Stevie Wonderful chased geese. Please remember Mark the next time you tee up a ball, cast a fly, or glimpse an osprey. We like you and we love you, Mark.