[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E270]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     HONORING GORDON ``GORDY'' KIRK

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. BETTY McCOLLUM

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, March 31, 2025

  Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the life of an 
extraordinary man, cherished community member and dedicated veteran, 
Mr. Gordon Willis Kirk, affectionately known as ``Gordy.'' Gordy passed 
away on March 2, 2025, just three weeks shy of his 102nd birthday. He 
is preceded in death by his loving spouse Gwendolyn and their legacy 
lives on through their children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and 
great-great grandchildren.
  Born in Helena, Montana, Gordy and his family moved to Saint Paul at 
the age of 10 for his father's work with the Northern Pacific Railway 
during the Great Depression. He graduated from Saint Paul's Marshall 
High School in 1942. Gordy is a product of Saint Paul's Rondo 
neighborhood, a predominantly African American community, most of which 
was demolished to make way for Interstate 94 in the late 1950's. 
Throughout his life, Gordy remained a tireless advocate for the Old 
Rondo neighborhood by keeping its history alive and seeking healing and 
reconciliation by preserving its rich heritage and culture.
  Gordy was a proud veteran of World War II. Bravely serving in combat, 
Gordy became a Quartermaster with a trucking company, Third Army, 
Fourth Armor Division (Patton's Vanguard) on the front lines in the 
European Theatre from 1943 to 1945 at a time when the ranks of U.S. 
servicemen were segregated. The company landed at Omaha Beach six days 
after D-Day, was with General Patton at Saint-Lo, fought at Verdun and 
the Battle of the Bulge where he suffered frostbite on his hands during 
the winter. He stated that he felt fortunate that he was in battle on 
the front lines and came home whole.
  Gordy's courage was demonstrated well before he was deployed to 
Europe. Following his enlistment in the U.S. Army in 1943, he and his 
fellow enlisted men departed by train for basic training at Fort 
Wolter, Mineral Wells, Texas. While in route the train stopped at a 
station; the African American men were told to leave the Pullman 
passenger cars they had been traveling in and go to the Jim Crow car--
with its much less desirable accommodations. He refused, as did other 
enlisted men. He and the men essentially said, ``If we're good enough 
to fight for our country like other enlisted men, then we're good 
enough to ride in a Pullman car like they do.'' The train was held up 
for six hours as the railroad located another Pullman car for the 
group.
  Upon returning to Saint Paul, Gordy drove a streetcar from 1947 to 
1952 until streetcars were replaced by buses. He then went to work on 
the railroad as a waiter. He next went to work for Braniff Airways as a 
skycap, joining Northwest Airlines in 1960 where Gordy has a long and 
successful career, eventually becoming the head skycap, retiring in 
1993.
  His extraordinary commitment to his fellow veterans and their 
families compares to none. As a long-time leader and advocate in 
Minnesota's veterans community, Gordy became the first African American 
VFW District Officer in Minnesota in 1986. He rose through the 
leadership ranks of the Fourth District as well as the state and 
national VFW organizations--advocating for all veterans while seeking 
to bring diversity to the ranks of our state's veterans organizations 
and ensuring that all veterans are welcome. Gordy was instrumental in 
establishing the Twin Star VFW Post 8854, which was located on 
Concordia Avenue in the Rondo neighborhood until 2008 when the hall 
closed, with Gordy serving as the Post's Commander.
  Until well into his 90's, Gordy was a VFW Hospital Representative at 
the Minneapolis VA Medical Center, acting as an advocate for veterans 
attempting to resolve issues experienced by veterans at the Medical 
Center. When once asked the question, do any special veterans and their 
cases come to mind, and his response was ``every veteran is special to 
me!''
  Gordy was very special to me and to the constituents of Minnesota's 
Fourth Congressional District. It was my privilege to nominate Gordy 
for a Minnesota Humanities Center Veterans Voices Legacy Award which I 
presented to him on September 11, 2016, for his outstanding work in 
service to others.
  It was an honor to call Gordy a friend. He has been an inspiration to 
me and his legacy will continue to inspire many for generations to 
come.
  Mr. Speaker, please join me in celebrating the remarkable life and 
the dedicated work of Mr. Gordon ``Gordy'' Willis Kirk.

                          ____________________