Gordon Lee Meade, 81, of Jacksonville, Florida passed away on December 20, 2020 following a valiant fight through open heart surgery for a triple bi-pass, kidney failure, COVID-19, pneumonia and finally multi-organ failure.  Gordon was a fighter 'til the end.  He was preceded in death by his parents, Lillie and James Meade.  Those left behind to mourn this special man are his wife Linda Meade, his children Eric Meade (Amber), with grandchildren: Alex and Zayne.  Douglas Meade (Kimberly), with grandchildren: Kaley, Patrick, Hunter, Lucas, Nicholas, Brian and Kristina.  Mark Mullins (Anna), with grandchildren: Tyler (Estelle), Kalyn, Kennady and Cameron with two great grandchildren: Conner and Cali. Janna Sizemore (Jason), with grandchildren: Ryan, Bailey, Reagan, Logan and Delana.

Gordon was born on September 2, 1939 in Washington, DC and was raised in Warrenton, NC.  He later moved to Jacksonville in his youth and graduated from Terry Parker High School.  He attended Jacksonville University (member of their crew team), and soon after he joined the U.S. Army National Guard, in service to his country.  He was self-employed in various fields of work during his life, including as part owner of a local Northeast FL newspaper called the Dollar Saver Shopping guide.  He also had various real estate investments and worked as an independent manufacture's representative since the eighties. He was well respected in the HVAC industry and will be missed by his colleagues.  His personal work ethic is a model example for others to follow.  This was truly a blessed man, with a sense of humor that was unmatched.  He lived a remarkable life filled with experiences with family, friends, strangers and even some famous people that will be relived for years to come.  He was always active with his children in sports.  There is no telling how many hours and days he spent at the local baseball fields, basketball courts, and football fields as a coach or a cheering fan! He loved self-reliance through hard work both for others and through entrepreneurial endeavors.  Gordon loved animals, took care of people in need, appreciated the simple things in life, and loved spending time with friends and family! Gordon loved cruising and taking many other memorable vacations over the years with his wife.  Gordon and Linda built a life together based on trust, commitment, laughter and love.  You could count on finding Gordon and Linda at one of their favorite dinner spots with family or friends on any given weekend.  Many local restaurant owners knew him by name and appreciated his loyalty to local establishments.  He loved to make people laugh and will be missed dearly by all.  He leaves behind heartbroken family and friends who will remember that just being in his presence was something special.  Those who knew him well know exactly what that means.

A graveside Funeral will be held on Wednesday, December 30, 2020 at 12:00 PM at Arlington Park Cemetery and Funeral Home located at 6920 Lone Star road in Arlington, Jacksonville, Florida. Due to COVID-19 concerns, we will hold a Celebration of Life for Gordon at a later date to be determined.

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd;

I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down

in green pastures;

He leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul;

He leadeth me in the paths of

righteousness for his name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through

the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil:

for Thou art with me;

Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in

the presence of mine enemies;

Thou anointest my head with oil;

my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall

follow me all the days of my life;

and I will dwell in the house of the

Lord for ever.