02/29/2016
We want to pay our respects and tribute to our friend and long time employee Gordon Eder, who passed this last week in peace with his sister and close friend by his side.
Gordon was our neon bender and a good one at that. He was creative in his method and technique. Beyond just bending letters, we witnessed him find ways of using neon to create detailed illuminating sculptures.
He is an artisan and worked in stain glass, creating beautiful one of a kind pieces from boxes, mini lamp shades, mosaics, and pendants. He put his heart and soul into his pieces and had a hard time selling them. But, never had a hard time giving them away to friends and family and recently to all his caregivers that have been so supportive and loving to him.
Ice hockey was his passion and from a young age loved going to games with his dad. When he decided to move to Hawaii, which took him far away from that, he turned that interest into collecting trading cards. Over the years he amassed a spectacular collection. Talking to him, he could tell you when he got a card and why. He liked the excitement of an unwrapped box or pack. To him it was like gambling. But, he also shared his passion, giving away valuable cards to friends, not just to share, but because of some connection with what or who was on the card.
Years ago Gordon's life was drastically turned upside down when a battle with a pre-existing condition put him in the hospital. The battle to keep him alive worked, but left him with both amputated toes and fingers on both feet and hands. Through tough and painful physical therapy, Gordon was able to walk again. His tenacity pushed him to teach himself to get around his condition and he got back to bending neon and working with his hands.
His health limited him and would continue to decline over the years. The amount of things he had to deal with would make most people just stay at home, but not Gordon. He could often be found out and about, coming to work for a few hours or walking around town and Waikiki.
He was a fighter and a lover of life. No matter what it took, he wanted to do more, see more. He told me "as a thinking man, I want to keep on fighting. I don't feel I'm done" but he knew that his body wasn't cooperating. And even with that stacked against him, he was always thinking of something positive.
That's what he left for us to remember. To be positive, to live life, to not give up. That is how I feel whenever I think of him and I see it in every piece of glass and art that he created.
Thanks Gordon for all that you brought to our world. Be at peace my friend.