Our friend and passionate Bücker enthusiast Gordon Clement passed away unexpectedly late last night. Gordon had been battling cancer for some time and as you might expect from Gordon, he waged that battle stoically. The messages he sent to colleagues, friends and family concerning his health were always upbeat and positive, looking forward to the time when he would have it beat.
Gordon was the former editor of the Bücker club newsletter and with his two sons Rob and Zack, and wife Mary, hosted the annual Bücker & BBQ fly-in at their Mountain Airpark hangar in Georgia.
Typical of Gordon’s focus and passion, he not only became obsessed with Bückers when he was a kid, he became obsessed with one particular Bücker, the Jungmann that Jim Moser so famously flew from St. Augustine in Florida. Gordon had the magazine cover, the tee-shirt, the model kit and every other artifact he could lay his hands on. To be able to own and fly that very Jungmann in his adult life was something extraordinary for Gordon, and watching his joy in that ownership was a thrill for everyone that knew him.
Jim Moser had modified N1947G to competition standard, removing the front seat, raising the turtle deck, fitting a 200HP Lycoming engine and much more. At considerable expense, Gordon had the aircraft converted back to its original two-seat, open cockpit configuration because another of his passions was sharing the Bücker magic with other people. He gave rides to something like 150 people in his Jungmann, and every one of those passengers was better for it. There are some remarkable stories and pictures around the internet posted by people with whom Gordon has shared his passion.
The last time I saw Gordon was at the 2012 Bücker and BBQ at his home airport in Georgia. You should have seen it. Gordon invited airshow pilot Greg Koontz to fly N1947G and fly it he did. Greg put on a fabulous show; Gordon could hardly contain himself. “This is the best day of my life” he said, over and over again. For those who watched Gordon watching Greg, it was one of the best days of our lives too.
Blue skies Gordon. We’ll miss you.
Condolences can be sent to:
The Clement Family
2225 Peachford Ln
Lawrenceville, GA 30043
in lieu of flowers the family has requested donations be made to the EAA.
The Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 690 will create a Gordon Clement Scholarship fund to help foster young people's interest in aviation.
Visitation & Services will be held at
The Tim Stewart Funeral Home Lawrenceville Chapel
300 Simonton Road
Lawrenceville, Georgia 30046
Friday, September 19th
Visitation from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Saturday, September 20th
Service starting at 11:00 am
Donations:
EAA Chapter 690
Gordon Clement Scholarship Fund
c/o Jeanne Ferguson
421 Bellingham Drive
Sugar Hill, Georgia 30518