John Anthony Gordon 1956-2011 Longtime award-winning journalist John Anthony Gordon died Monday January 17, 2011 at Good Shepherd Medical Center in Longview after a courageous struggle with cancer. Gordon was born in Marshall on May 24, 1956. John was a graduate of Marshall High School. While in high school, he became a familiar voice on local radio and developed a passion for journalism. He served as news director at KMHT and, later, KCUL radio, delivering the morning news for nearly two decades. John also did correspondent work for the Longview News Journal and the Shreveport Times. His career spun into television when he joined KTBS TV in Shreveport as an investigative reporter and photographer. He opened the station's east Texas bureau in Marshall in the early 1990's. John was one of the first journalists to arrive on the scene of the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster in 2003 and provided some of the first information and video from the field. In 2004, John became an independent photojournalist, preparing stories domestically and internationally for United Methodist Communications, the national church's television service. His work took him to such places as Mozambique, South Africa and Port-au-Prince, Haiti. John served as segment producer for a national daily morning program on The Hallmark Channel. He also produced several commercial videos and documentaries, including one on Caddo Lake, which featured extensive interviews with longtime lake supporter Don Henley. A visitation will be held 6 P.M. to 8 P.M. Wednesday January 19, 2011 at Downs Funeral Home in Marshall. Funeral services will be held at 10 A.M. Thursday January 20, 2011 at Downs Funeral Home. Burial will follow in Woodlawn Cemetery in Marshall. Serving as pallbearers will be Monte Bacon, Jack Canson, Bill Fuller, Charles Hadlock, Trey Lankford, Jerry Lomax, William D. "Buddy" Power, and David Simpson. Honorary pallbearers include Tony Bridge, Don Henley, Scott Hill, Scotty David Hill, Stephen Hill, Leta Kay, Dwight Shellman and Don Stokes. John is survived by his wife, Ginger; his father Joseph J. Gordon of Marshall; sister Elizabeth Martyn of Glenrock, NJ; numerous nieces and nephews in New Jersey and Poland. He is preceded in death by his mother, Sophia Kozubek Gordon and brother-in-law Paul Hill. John is also survived by his beloved dogs: Freckles, Speckles and Rocky, aka Blockhead. Memorial contributions may be made to the Harrison County Humane Society, the American Cancer Society Sarcoma Research or the charity of your choice.