Deaths

RICHARD ADAM HUNTER GORDON (C72) 23 July 1955 - 19 February 2017 was a thoughtful, kind and generous man.  He was the fifth of six children of Major Pat Hunter Gordon CBE, MC and Valerie (nee de Ferranti) who invented the disposable nappy and who died in October 2016 aged 94 only four months before him.

Richard grew up in Inverness and retained his highland roots throughout his life including a love of reeling.  He went to Junior House before joining St Cuthbert’s where two of his brothers, Nigel (C65) and Kit (C75) also went.  At Ampleforth Richard avoided most sport if he could and followed an intellectual calling particularly in the debating society and co-founding the Ampleforth Bookshop.

After a gap year, which led him across Europe ending up in a kibbutz in Israel, he read philosophy at Reading University.  He funded his vacations working on oil platforms on the West of Scotland and here discovered his ability to relate to anyone, anywhere.

On the tragic death of his father in a car crash in March 1978, Richard, with characteristic bravery, moved home and took on his father’s political mantle, standing in his place as the Conservative candidate for Inverness in the 1979 election.  He campaigned valiantly and somewhat idiosyncratically, coming very close to winning the seat.  He had a great sense of fun but also conviction, always campaigning in his kilt, which at his public meetings was much appreciated by his older female voters.

After qualifying as a chartered accountant and working for leading firms in Edinburgh and London, Richard followed his life-long interest in investment and worked in fund management for Schroders, first in London and then Singapore.  Later he moved to Hong Kong becoming a director at Wardley, the merchant banking subsidiary of HSBC.  Here he met Frances Scott, whom he returned to the UK to marry in 1991.  They went on to have 25 happy years together raising a family of Zoe, Max, Joanna and Phoebe in central London.  He was a true family man with his love and support extending wide; as one niece said, “You made your home my home.”

In London Richard continued to pursue a successful career in investment management, first at Saunderson House then BestInvest.  At the time of his death he was a director of BestInvest, providing financial advice and planning to hundreds of clients.  He was well liked by both colleagues and clients and letters refer to the wonderful support he was to many, his quiet sense of humour, self-deprecating manner and kindness in explaining complicated financial concepts, endearingly describing him as ‘a real human being.’

This modest and unassuming generosity and intelligence were his hallmarks.  He was truly individual, as one friend said “he marched to his own step in his own determined direction.”  He would always challenge scientific knowledge, political thinking and everyday attitudes and was genuinely curious and curiously genuine.

In January 2017 without warning Richard fell gravely ill with a bone marrow malignancy, which meant that a bout of flu turned into sepsis with many ensuing complications, which finally led to a fatal brain haemorrhage.  He is deeply missed by all his wide family and many friends.

Should you wish to share your own memories or leave a message, please complete the form below quoting your name and we will publish your comments.

Rest in eternal peace.