Gordon Grender, 90, died Aug. 23, 2020.
He is survived by his wife, Evelyn; a sister, Jan Heiser and her husband, Arlan; a son, Jay; children Andy and Ian, Cindy, David and Diane; nine grandchildren and two great-granddaughters.
Born in the upper Midwest, Gordon died in the Appalachians. He has said he did a lot of things, enjoyed many of them, and had a wonderful family and a good life. He was an award-winning professor of geology at Virginia Tech for many years.
Gordon is warmly remembered for the books he recorded for his grandchildren’s delight and for the native plants and wildlife habitat he nurtured in the backyard. He recommended that everyone plant a native shrub and take a long walk with someone you love.