When Gordon died suddenly of a hemorrhagic stroke during the Omicron spike of the Covid pandemic in 2022, the absence of his energy, humor, leadership, and care created a hole in the social fabric of thousands of people. The GoMurphCenter is being built to generate that kavanah, that Spirit, and send it back into the world through the people who are transformed through our programs offering rest, belonging, study, self-reflection, resources, art, and food.

Gordon began and ended his life in Danville IL, a talented, corn-fed, baseball player and community leader. Shaped by the sportsmanship of his father who ran the YMCA and the deep Presbyterian Christian faith of his mother and three sisters, Gordon spent his 20s getting one lucky break after another, including marriage to Cheryl and raising four children outside of Chicago, near Wheaton College. He went to law school, prison, so many cities and countries with humility and charisma. 

Gordon spent his adult life in public service, helping non-profit organizations succeed through administrative excellence and strong relationships. He made people feel cared for and prayed deeply about his own faults and flaws that kept him from being a better neighbor to people different from himself. He believed strongly that everyone is capable of Change.

The GoMurphCenter create safe spaces for people to find Gordon's path toward the Kingdom of Heaven here on Earth. In deference to his children's Hindu, Catholic, and Jewish faith traditions, as well as his curiosity about all religions, the center is welcoming to all spiritual expressions.