Museum at UT Martin library to be named in honor of alumnus

The Messenger 09.30.08

The University Museum in the Corbitt Special Collections area of the Paul Meek Library at the University of Tennessee at Martin will be named the “J. Houston Gordon Museum” in honor of J. Houston Gordon, alumnus, benefactor and volunteer leader of the university.
The dedication ceremony will be held at 4:45 p.m. Friday at the museum during UT Martin homecoming week.
Gordon also is one of three alumni receiving awards, during the UT Martin Alumni Awards Banquet later that evening. He will receive the Chancellor’s Award for University Service, given in recognition of outstanding service to UT Martin.
J. Houston Gordon Jr., a Covington attorney, graduated from UT Martin with honors in 1968. Houston and Debbie Gordon have supported UT Martin through the UT Martin Gordon Family Scholarship Endowment, the Paul Meek Library and the American Democracy Project with gifts and pledges and are members of the UT Charles Dabney Society.
Mrs. Gordon currently serves on the UT National Alumni Association Women’s Council and on the Alliance of Women Philanthropists board. Houston has served on the Dean’s Alumni Advisory Council for the UT College of Law, UT National Alumni Association Board of Governors, UT Board of Trustees, UT Martin Development Committee and the UT Development Council.
Four generations of Gordon’s family are alumni of UT Martin. They include Ava Darnall Gordon, his grandmother; H.D. Gordon, his father; Houston and his siblings, Chester, Sarah and David; and Chip and John Gordon, his nephews. Jane Gordon, his niece, is a current student.
“The University of Tennessee at Martin believes the naming of University Museum, which is housed in the Special Collections area featuring Gov. Ned R. McWherter’s office and the papers of Congressman Ed Jones, is an appropriate recognition of Gordon’s distinguished service advancing the educational opportunities in perpetuity for Tennesseans,” said Dr. Tom Rakes, UT Martin chancellor.

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