Billy Zane Gordon
Services for Mr. Gordon were Sunday, December 13, 2020, at 2:00 p.m. with interment in the Greenland Cemetery in Union, Mississippi. Dr. Dan Howard and Bishop Houston Cunningham officiated. McClain-Hays Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Billy Zane Gordon passed away on December 6, 2020, at Ochsner’s Medical Center in New Orleans, Louisiana after a lengthy illness.
Bill was born on March 20, 1951, in Magee, Mississippi, to the late James Virgil and L’Dean (Flint) Gordon. Bill is survived by his wife, Angela Wright Gordon; his four children: Cassandra Gordon Hardy (Paul) and Billy Zane Gordon Jr. of Wiggins; Blake Gordon and Grant Gordon (Nohemi) of Philadelphia; three grandchildren, Alec Hardy, Lyndzie Hardy, and London Gordon; sister, Kay Gordon Stephens (John Buford Stephens) of Jayess; aunt, Pat Flint Mioton of Philadelphia; nieces, and many cousins.
Bill graduated from Stone High School in 1969 as Salutatorian of his class, where he was a standout athlete in both basketball and baseball. He was selected as Gulf Coast Conference Basketball MVP and a Mississippi High School All-Star Basketball player in 1969. After graduation, Bill attended Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College where he was the leading scorer for the Bulldog Basketball Team and led the team to a South State Championship in 1970. While at Mississippi Gulf Coast, Bill served as National President of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, was chosen to the MGCCC Hall of Fame, and was selected to Who’s Who Among American Junior College Students. Upon graduation from MGCCC, Bill attended Delta State University where he attained both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree. Following in the footsteps of his parents, Bill spent numerous years as an educator and administrator. He began his educational career at D’Iberville High School as a basketball coach before moving to Neshoba Central High School, where he coached girls’ basketball. In 1981, Bill was chosen to coach in the Mississippi High School All-Star Basketball game. After several years of coaching, Bill moved to Sand Hill Attendance Center to serve as Principal. After a number of years in administration, Bill became the assistant superintendent of Greene County Schools. Bill retired from the Greene County School District and moved to Philadelphia, Mississippi, taking a position with the Choctaw Tribal Schools. After retiring from education, Bill and his family operated various businesses throughout Mississippi. In addition to working in private businesses, Bill enjoyed broadcasting basketball games for the Choctaw Tribal Schools. After battling health problems for many years, Bill received a liver transplant in 2014, which allowed him to spend more time with his family. After his liver transplant, Bill spent a great deal of time helping his son, Blake, at Blake’s Seafood. In 2017, Bill was inducted into the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College Athletic Hall of Fame. Bill was an active member of First Baptist Church of Philadelphia.
Pallbearers for Mr. Gordon were Paul Hardy, Zane Gordon, Blake Gordon, Grant Gordon, Alec Hardy, Scott Beddingfield, Kirk Morgan, and Bob Posey.
The family asks that donations be made to First Baptist Church of Philadelphia, or the Mississippi Organ Recovery Agency in Bill Gordon’s memory.