Gordon Gibson

Gordon Gibson of Upper St. Clair, age 100, passed away on Friday, May 15, 2026. Cherished husband for 69 years of the late Mary Gibson; loving father of Connie Gibson, Jennie (Jimmy) Eaton, Doug (Melissa) Gibson, Susan Castello, and the late Christopher Gibson; proud grandfather of Karl (Stephanie), Douglas (Nane), and Mary Gibson; Ryan (Kathleen), Evan, and Austin (Jess) Eaton; Molly and Gordon Gibson; and Mindy and the late Luke Castello; and great grandfather of Michael and Zachary Gibson and Liam Eaton.  

His parents, George and Clara Gibson, immigrated from England to Pittsburgh after WWI.  His father, who spent his career toiling in the Pittsburgh tin mills, stressed the importance of a college degree.  After graduating from McKeesport high school, Gordon joined the Navy and served on an LST (Landing Ship Tank) in the Asiatic Pacific theatre in WWII.  Following WWII, he attended University of Pittsburgh, where he earned his math and physics bachelor’s degrees and a master’s degree and PhD in Physics.  

After graduation, he joined Westinghouse in Pittsburgh, where he worked as a nuclear physicist for his entire career.  It was there that he met the love of his life, Mary.  He was transferred to San Francisco early in his career and shortly after he and Mary wed. Their honeymoon was a cross-country drive from Pittsburgh to San Francisco, where they started their lives together and would live for nine years before returning to Pittsburgh. 

While he had many extraordinary accomplishments, he never wanted the spotlight for any of them.  His career included working with Edward Teller in the Lawrence Livermore National Lab in California to research nuclear fusion; he was on a team that designed both the Bumpy Torus Nuclear Reactor in Oakridge, TN and the Tokamak Fusion Reactor in Princeton, NJ; he consulted on the Manhattan (atomic bomb) and NERVA (nuclear thermal rocket engine) projects; published many physics papers; and had a role in the development of many patented inventions.

Gordon had a brilliant mind; a quiet, patient, kind, and gentle nature; and a strong sense of family, loyalty, and right versus wrong.  He would often beam with pride as he talked about his “beautiful wife”.  His extraordinary patience and kindness shone through when despite working long hours, he would routinely put his work to the side to help his children with their middle school algebra or high school calculus homework.  Gordon was an avid fan of all Pittsburgh sports teams, particularly the Steelers and Pirates.  During his many years of retirement, he enjoyed spending time with family and managing their investments.

Gordon, gentle in spirit and giant in character, was dearly loved by many and will live on through the generations of his family.  

A private memorial service and celebration of life will be held in his honor

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