Gordon Terroux – June 1, 2024

Gordon Terroux was born on February 17, 1934, in Chicago, Illinois, to Elaine Terroux. He fondly remembers his mother as a caring, loving, and intelligent woman who always made time to read to him and worked tirelessly to support him. Tragically, she passed away at age 35 when Gordon was only nine years old, and he never had the chance to fully get to know and love her when he was an adult. After his mother’s death, Gordon spent a number of his formative years growing up in the homes of his aunts and uncles in Chicago, New York, and New Jersey.

Influenced by his upbringing during WWII, he developed a desire to serve his country at just 18 years old. Gordon enlisted in the Air Force serving stateside during the Korean Conflict and later in Viet Nam with the Colorado Air National Guard.

During the 1950s, the USAF was still separating itself from the Army, and Gordon couldn’t help but find it humorous that the uniforms were often mixed – some were a combination of Army and Air Force gear. He told an anecdote about how some of the soldiers were issued either brown or black shoes, with those who received the brown ones having the additional duty of polishing them to turn them black. His time at boot camp was grueling but ultimately instilled in him a sense of discipline, dependability, honesty, and integrity that he carried with him throughout his life. The Air Force stationed Gordon in Colorado in the early 1950s, creating a love for its “purple mountain majesties” and awe-inspiring landscapes.

Gordon’s military service was a large part of his legacy. He valiantly served during the Korean Conflict and then in the Viet Nam War as a certified EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) Technician. He rose to the rank of Senior Master Sergeant while becoming honed at his skills as an expert marksman. His bravery and achievements were recognized with several awards such as the Purple Heart, Bronze Star, and Bronze Star with Valor for his heroic actions under fire.

After a dedicated 20 years of service in the military, Gordon decided to retire and pursue a career with the Federal Government. He worked for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which took him all over the country, from Connecticut, to South Carolina, to Florida, and finally back to his beloved home state of Colorado in 1984.

Gordon’s passions were apparent to all who knew him. He enjoyed high-performance cars and racing, becoming a chairman with the Porsche Club of Colorado. He was an avid aviation buff and loved the sights and sounds of military jets flying overhead. He is a member of the Mach I Club having broken the speed of sound in the back seat of an F-100 Super Sabre. Gordon made the most of his retirement by traveling, building furniture in his basement, “tinkering” in his garage, and becoming quite accomplished with electronics – even building his own computers.

But above all else, Gordon took immense pride in the family he had built and the achievements of his loved ones. For 57 years, he was happily married to his devoted wife, Roberta Kubat Terroux. The two first met at an apartment complex in Denver in 1965, and their love story blossomed into a strong, solid, affectionate, and enduring marriage that others could only envy. Bobbie, a United Airlines Flight Attendant at the time, shared his love of aviation and flight.

He is also survived by his son, Edward “Ted” Terroux, a renowned dog behavior and training expert/business owner; and his daughter, Dr. Suzanne Elaine Terroux Riffel, an optometrist. Gordon was also proud of his daughter-in-law, Tiffany, a dog trainer and kennel owner along with Ted and his son-in-law Robert Riffel, an architect who designed their retirement home in Larkspur.

His grandchildren include Carrie Terroux Barrett and her husband, Pete Barrett, who founded and manage the Colorado Horse Rescue Network, and Megan Riffel, an Animal Biosciences Major at the University of Georgia. He also leaves behind a great-granddaughter, Addison Barrett, who will hopefully fulfill Gordon’s dream that one of his offspring would attend the U.S. Air Force Academy.

In one of his final conversations, Gordon said to his daughter, Suzanne, “I hope I did right by you.” Those simple and heartfelt words encapsulated everything that made him the man that he was. Proud, dedicated, intelligent, loving, stoic, brave, and kind – these adjectives only scratch the surface of his character. The void left by his passing will be felt deeply by all who had the privilege of knowing him, and his legacy will live on through the memories and lessons he imparted to us all.

Services will be held at Fort Logan National Cemetery on Friday, July 5, 2024, at 2:30 in the afternoon.