Nathan Elder “Snake” Gordon Sr.

Nathan Elder “Snake” Gordon Sr., 84, passed away Monday, March 20. Nathan was born November 19, 1932 in Gonzales County to Houston Galveston Gordon and Callie Jane Smart Gordon. Nathan married Geneva Adline West on December 22, 1952 in Gonzales County. He was a member of Eastside Baptist Church and had been a Deacon in Baptist Churches since 1969.

Nathan grew up on a farm near Leesville. He learned at a very early age to speak Spanish fluently while playing with his Hispanic childhood friends. Nathan was four years old when an older sibling woke the family up in the middle of night to warn them of rising flood waters that had already consumed the lower level of the family home. They all escaped just as the house was swept away in the flood of 1936 along with the town of Old Leesville.

Nathan learned to work on cars at an early age. This interest led him to become a stock car driver popularly known as “Slaughter-house Gordon” at the dirt track in Hallettsville.

Snake married and they moved to San Antonio for a few years before moving to Houston where Nathan drove a concrete truck for 26 years. They moved back to Gonzales in late 1980 and Nathan went to work for Gonzales County Pct. 3 and while working for the county he built Snake’s Garage in 1982, an automotive repair shop. He retired from the county after 11 years of service and he went full time into his automotive repair business.

In 1992 Nathan bought his first tow truck. Nathan dearly loved working in tow service and devoted much of his time in assisting others in need of his service. It wasn’t uncommon for Nathan to be called out and find that the person in need didn’t have the money for the tow service or the repairs to get their vehicle running. Without blinking Nathan would tow their vehicle to a repair shop and pay to have it fixed with his own money and send his new found friends on their way. He knew full well this was a poor business tactic, but to help those in need and receive a wealth of gratitude, warm smiles and blessings from his Lord and Savior were riches Nathan couldn’t find in money. Nathan’s Christian faith was notably irrefutable; some people talk the talk of Christianity, Nathan lived it proudly for all to see.

He loved music, he was a self-taught guitar player and dearly loved to pick and sing. He shared his loved of music with his three sons and through the years many a family music session was enjoyed together. Nathan was a devoted husband and father, sharing his faith and delightful sense of humor. He was his wife’s adoring protector and loving companion for 64 years. Nathan had friends from all walks of life, but his closest friend he found on his back porch one day, a large mixed breed dog he named “Traveler.” Nathan and Traveler were inseparable; they made tow calls together at any and all hours, worked in the shop together and at times they would just sit and enjoy each other’s company. Nathan Elder “Snake” Gordon Sr. was a generous, hardworking, loving man; he was a man that made the lives of others better because he lived, but Nathan would be the first to denounce such acclamation for Galatians 6:9 reads: “let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” Nathan served his Lord and he never gave up.

Nathan “Snake” Gordon is survived his wife Adline Gordon of Gonzales, sons and daughters-in-law, Robert Galveston Gordon and Beth of Katy, Nathan Elder Gordon Jr., and Elizabeth Ann of Cypress, Charlie Lee Gordon and Karon of Gonzales, grandchildren, Jason Gordon and his wife Amy, James Gordon and his girlfriend Kathy, Anthony Gordon and his wife Kara, Callie Smith and her husband Chris, Joshua Gordon and his wife Cassandra, Leslie Gordon, Jared Gordon and his wife Brooke, Melissa Peterson and her husband Jordan, Justin Gordon and his wife Brittney, Allison Gordon and her fiancé Miles Wright, 24 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great grandchild. Nathan was preceded in death by his parents, sister, Vivian Wolter, brothers, George Bell, Jakey, Lee, Louis and Calvin Gordon and his best friend, Traveler.

Funeral services were held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, March 22 in Seydler-Hill Funeral Home with Rev. Clint Lowery and Rev. Hollas Hoffman officiating. Interment will follow in Leesville Cemetery. Pallbearers: Jason, James, Anthony, Joshua, Jared and Justin Gordon. Honorary Pallbearers: his great-grandchildren and great-great grandchild. The family received friends from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 21 in Seydler-Hill Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to Eastside Baptist Church 701 Seydler Street, Gonzales, Texas 78629. Services are under the care and direction of Seydler-Hill Funeral Home.