Gordon Humphrey, a former National Maritime Union mariner and official, passed away Oct. 6 in Kelso, Wash. He was 80.Answering his call to the sea at the onset of World War II, Humphrey trained as a pharmacist at Sheepshead Bay, N.Y. in November 1942. Upon completion of his training, he boarded American Foreign Steamship Co.’s Bulk Oil and made several voyages to the Far East, Europe and South America.
After returning to shore and joining the NMU in 1943 in the port of New York, he was selected for the NMU patrolman’s position in Port Arthur, Texas. In the years that followed, he held the same post twice in San Francisco and once in Hawaii. Humphrey was promoted to port agent in Boston and later held the same position in Corpus Christi, Texas and San Pedro. Calif.
“Gordon was just a great all around person,” recalled former NMU President Shannon Wall. “I sailed with him for years. In short, he was a fantastic shipmate and a real pleasure to be around. I was sailing as a bosun at the time and he was an AB. We worked very well together and got along great as friends. He will be greatly missed.”
Active in grass roots politics, Humphrey directed a very conscientious political group while working in San Pedro. Local congressmen often called upon him to share the union’s stances on various issues.
Besides the foregoing experiences with politicians, two events that occurred later boosted the mariner’s political record. In 1980, President elect Ronald Reagan was scheduled to address the NMU convention in St. Louis. To Humphrey’s surprise, Reagan requested that Humphrey escort him to the podium. Then, on May 11, 1982, California Congressman Glen Anderson read Humphrey’s “American Merchant Marine Records” into the official records of the 97th Congress. About one month later, Humphrey retired from the NMU and settled in Kelso, Wash.
His wife of 47 years, Jean, his daughter Christy and three granddaughters survive Humphrey: Gabrielle, Gayla and Heavenly.
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