The Feb l7, 2007, edition of the New York Times had a delightful picture of Gordon Wright looking his best: full of life. I’ll remember my “big brother” that way but there is another image that he might have preferred. His bearded face swathed in a dripping halo of steam as he flung still another pitcher of ice water on the sauna stove. That obituary touched on many points of his life but it was deficient without the word “sauna.”

It would have taken a whole page of the newspaper to describe his 25 year role with the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies. Back when the center’s total membership was four persons, myself, Janet Klein, Steve Yoshida and Bob Klein, we set out to create an advisory board to help the fledgling organization get its feet on the ground. We needed names on our first stationary that would give us credibility. I went to Fairbanks to meet with environmental leaders like Ginny Wood and Celia Hunter and asked Gordon to serve as our first advisory board member. He was quickly joined by AMU president Glenn Olds, marine biologist Al Davis, Homer city councilman Jim Manley, scientist Rae Baxter and others.

As one of the founders of the Northern Environmental Center, Gordon was knowledgeable about the opportunities in the environmental education field and he provided wise council as the board of directors grew. The first school programs were undertaken, funds raised and the building and land acquired in Peterson Bay with his continuing support. Gordon visited Homer often over the years as friend of the bay in a kayak, with hiking boots and backpack and with his baton at the conductor’s podium. One of my favorite Center-oriented musical events occurred on Mike and Dottie’s grand piano in their living room when more than a score of people attended a largely Bach recital played by well known Swedish pianist and composer, Geir Bratten. The hat was passed and we squeaked through another mortgage payment on the Peterson Bay Field Station when financial resources were very slim indeed.

So deep was his love of Kachemak Bay that he wanted his best friends to experience it. He brought the daughter of Emil Nikolaus Von Reznicek from Germany to hear his performance of her famous father’s music in Fairbanks and then of course brought her to Kachemak Bay. Standing on the dock in China Poot Bay she pointed to Sadie Peak and asked if it had a name. Gordon called it Mount Reznicek from then on.

The maestro reached deep in his own pockets and gave us a $500 check year after year to help us squeeze past another payment. Gordon brought Butch Thompson from Prairie Home Companion to Homer. The Mariner Theatre fundraiser put smiles on Homer faces and provided valuable funds for our educational projects.

A tireless volunteer and no stranger to heavy backpacks, he carried thousands of pounds of wood chips to the Peterson Bay trail system over the course of many days. He repaired boardwalks, split wood for the center’s wood stove, read minutes and gave the board feedback, worked as our good will ambassador and above all perhaps, set a fine example of the best of volunteerism.

Gordon, you will be missed. When Lorraine Hunt Liberson sings your beloved Bach, “Ich Habe Genuch,” many is the tear that shall be shed by those giving thanks for having known you.

(I have a video copy of the Charles Kurault and Tom Brokaw interviews with Gordon. If friends would like a copy, drop a line to P. O. 956, Homer.)

Michael McBride, one of the founding members of the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies, operates the Kachemak Bay Wilderness Lodge overlooking China Poot Bay.