Gordon Gilbert Gookins was born on Nov, 24, 1924 in Coupeville, and died on May 1, 2010, in Coupeville.

He was the youngest of five children of Kate and Island County Sheriff William (Bill) Gookins. He was preceded in death by his parents, a brother William, of Seattle, sisters Bessie Housand of Apache Junction, Ariz., and Alice Alwine of Burien.

He leaves his wife, Leslie Gookins of Coupeville; a sister, Leone Chrisie of Bellingham; his daughter, Robin Gookins Green of Kingston, Wash.; stepdaughters, Nancy (Garry) Van Osdol, Mary Stewart and Annie (Doug) Moe; stepsons William (Douglas) Jaeb, Russell Stewart, Scott (Kristen), Daniel (Jackie) Stewart and Mark Stewart; grandchildren Joshua Green, Sherilyn VanOsdol, Allison Stewart, Christopher Moe, Jessica Stewart, Lucas Stewart, Crystal Hawkins, Starr Hawkins, Brandy Stewart and Amy Stewart; great-grandchildren, Caleb Green, Ethan Green, Stephen Jaeb, Andy Jaeb and Anna Jaeb; and 16 nieces and nephews.

Gordon attended schools in Coupeville and Sedro-Woolley, and joined the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. He received training in radar electronics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. On Sept. 29, 1948 he married Phyllis Silva of Everett. He worked as a driver for Seattle transit system. He also drove buses for Gray Line.

He married Juana Gallup of Seattle in the 1960s and they later moved to Lompoc, Calif., where he was employed by Federal Electric to maintain the radar system and communications equipment at Vandenberg A.F.B.

In 1980 Gordon moved to Tacoma and drove the airporter bus for Neely Co. During this time he married Leslie Hinthorn on July 18, 1981. They moved to Whidbey Island and he drove the Island County senior shuttle van. He retired and lived in Coupeville, where he pursued his life-long hobby of building and flying radio control airplanes and was a member of the Whidbey Island Radio Control Society. He also enjoyed participating in Ham radio with the call letters AB7EC and he was a docent at the Island County Historical Society Museum. He achieved his dream — to live the rest of his life on his beloved Whidbey Island.

Gordon loved people. He never met a stranger and loved to make people laugh with his one-liners and jokes. He had many friends and will be missed by all who knew him.

An informal celebration of Gordon’s life will be held at Fort Casey on Sunday, Aug. 15. His friends are invited to attend. For details please call 360-516-8969.