At 93, surrounded by his children, Daddy took his place by Mom, the place he always wished to be.

N. Gordon Le Bert is survived by daughter Seely Kaplan, her husband Martin, grandsons, Ryan, Joshua and wife Darcie and great-grandchildren Calvin and Talia; daughter Lucy Doyle, granddaughter Jennifer Hahn, husband Patrick, and son Steven Le Bert and wife Kim.

Gordon grew up in Brattleboro, Vt. In halcyon days, trekking vast woodlands, swimming in the Connecticut River, skiing to school, accompanied everywhere by his beloved dogs.

He received his bachelor of arts in English from the University of Virginia, where meeting the poet Robert Frost was a highlight of his life.

He taught high school in Massachusetts, college in Maryland, then moved to Washington University in St. Louis for a graduate degree.

He worked for White Rogers in St. Louis before taking what would become a 30-plus year position in a little aircraft company called McDonald Douglas Corp.

He taught night school technical writing, and weekends edited books so his children could have private music lessons, sports and college.

In World War II, Gordon served in the Navy on a destroyer escort in the pacific. The handsome young man in uniform pursued and won the heart of Barbara Hatch, modern dancer before, and employed by Western Airlines during the war. They were married in The Little Church Around the Corner in New York City on Jan. 6, 1946.

In 1984, they retired to Seattle where their daughters now lived, soon to be followed by their son. They bought a cozy bluff top house on South Whidbey Island, with views of Mount Rainier and the Olympics, and traveled the world; Greece, Scandinavia, Alaska, France, Switzerland, Ireland and Hawaii.

Gordon lived in “Barbara’s little house” after her death in 1999 until his final illness.

He loved golf and reading, and shared a passion for cats with Lucy and Steven, and for golden retrievers with daughter Seeley. He had hoped to vote for Hillary Clinton in the next election.

Despite the ups and downs over the years, Gordon’s belief in duty, responsibility and fidelity never wavered. He believed with all his heart that a commitment was inviolable. He was a gentleman.

Remembrances to the Barbara Le Bert Memorial Dance Fund Whidbey Island Council for the Arts, PO Box 52, 565 Camano Ave. Langley, WA 98260 or, Best Friends Animal Society, 5001 Angel Canyon Road, Kanab, Utah 84741. Correspondence to allkapsgold@comcast.net or 5226 Tolt River Road NE, Carnation, WA. 98014.