A service will be held at 11 a.m. Feb. 8 at St. Luke’s Church, 182 Main Street, Gladstone, for Helen Griffith Jones Gordon, a longtime supporter of the Essex Fox Hounds and the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation, who died Dec. 18 in North Branford, Conn.
“She was a wonderful supporter of both groups,” said Sally Ike, a former USET employee and chairman of the Essex Fox Hounds.
“She always there when you needed help, whether clearing trails, stuffing envelopes and everything in between,” recalled Sally, who now is the managing director of licensed officials for the U.S. Equestrian Federation.
“My fondest memories are the Christmas parties for USET staff she hosted for us at her house. She will be missed.”
Helen Gordon had a great rapport with both horses and horse people.
The daughter of Helen and Frank C. Jones and sister of Frank C. Jones Jr. (all now deceased), Helen was born on March 27, 1924. She grew up in Montclair and Pine Orchard, Conn. She attended the Kimberley School in Upper Montclair and graduated from Bennett College in Millbrook, N.Y.
Helen was the great-great granddaughter of Brevet Brigadier Gen. Archibald Henderson, the longest-serving commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps. She was also the great-great= granddaughter of Commodore Jacob Jones, the eleventh commander of the USS Constitution.
Formerly married to Kenneth T. Gordon while living in Essex Fells, Helen later resided in Bedminster and Southern Pines, N.C. As an avid equestrian, she was very involved in fund raising for both the USET and the Somerset Hills Handicapped Riders (now Mane Stream in Oldwick). She was a Trustee Emeritus for both the Berkshire School in Sheffield, Mass., and the USET Foundation.
Helen is survived by her children, Suzanne Helen Gordon of Charleston, S.C.; Pamela Gordon duPont (Benjamin duPont, husband) of Chester, Conn.; Kenneth Jones Gordon (Regina Woods Gordon, wife) of Stamford, Conn., and grandchildren Samantha Danahy Ludwig (Christopher Ludwig, husband), and Brooke Jones Danahy both of Jackson Hole, Wyo.; Ana Cazenove Gordon of New York City; Liliana Ellen Gordon and Jacob Jones Gordon of Stamford and great-grandson Cooper John Ludwig.
In lieu of flowers a donation may be made to:
United States Equestrian Team Foundation
1040 Pottersville Road
Gladstone. NJ 07934 (Designate The Gladstone Fund)
or
Mane Stream
P.O. Box 305
Oldwick, NJ 08858 (Or on line at www.manestreamnj.org)