Ronald Jay Gordon, 75, of Laguna Beach, California passed away on March 12th, 2020 from pneumonia.

Ron was born August 20, 1944 in Henryetta, Oklahoma to his parents Thomas Newton Gordon and Lela Faye Bell. An only child, his childhood was filled with travel moving often to such places as Canada and Italy before finally settling with his parents in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania for his high school years.

At Cedar Cliff High School, Ron excelled in athletics.He played football and basketball and received numerous accolades including being voted "Most Athletic" by his classmates.He was recruited by several colleges and ultimately accepted a football scholarship to the University of Richmond in Virginia where he routinely played both offense and defense and even held the school record for the longest punt for many years.His teammates valued his leadership and perseverance and elected him the team captain his senior year.

Following graduation, Ron began a long and successful career in the trucking industry working for Roadway Express.His tenure with the company included stints in Camden, New Jersey, St. Louis, Missouri, Akron, Ohio and eventually Adelanto, California where he managed the Western Division of the company.A tireless worker,he was respected for his dedication and persistence to meet targets. Those that worked for him described him as extremely tough but fair.Many of his former Roadway colleagues remained his closest friends for the rest of his life.

When his tenure at Roadway came to an end, Ron was not ready to retire.He acquired a small courier business and spent the next 25 years building the company into a solid competitor in the freight logistics industry in Southern California.He loved going to the office every day and considered his employees his extended family especially his right hand man of two decades, Mark Lorenz.

Ron will be forever remembered for his booming voice, his waking before dawn, his lack of hearing, his love of sports, his daily devotion to the LA Times, his drive to get things done, his hole in one, his love of gambling, his volumes of legal pads with various lists, his tough and tenacious exterior,his big heart, and most notably his lack of gray hair!! - 100% natural by his accounts. Finally, he never threw a single thing away so we have a detailed paper trailto remind us of who he was here on earth!

He is survived by three sons: Al Gayle of Bristol , Virginia, Peter Cochran (Janeen) of Laguna Beach, California, and Rob Cochran (Angie) of Virginia Beach, Virginia. Eight grandchildren:Jackson Gayle, Janie Gayle,Gordon Gayle, James Gayle, Callan Cochran, Brennan Cochran, Colby Cochran, Connor Cochran.His beloved dog, MisBehavin, and so many friends.Ron is undoubtedly waiting for all of us to return his calls!!!

COVID-19 permitting,a service is scheduled for 3:00 pm on August 22nd, 2020 at McCormick & Son Mortuaries, 1795 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach CA 92651.A reception to follow.