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Helmut Gordon

Helmut A. Gordon, M.D. passed on Monday, July 19, 1999. He was born in Malinska, Hungary on May 5th, 1908 to Albert Koeniges and Cornelia deAdamich. Helmut attended the University of Budapest College of Medicine and later was awarded a Rockfeller Scholarship to study in the United States. He married Irene J. Rontskevits and had two children, Iretta Gordon and Brent Gordon. During World War II he served in the Hungarian Air Force and after the war they immigrated to the United States in 1946 and settled in Niles, Michigan near the University of Notre Dame where he held the position of Research Scientist.

Helmut was a pioneer in germfree research which was a newly founded research area. He contributed immensely to this field with publications in over 100 journals and several books.

His family moved to Lexington, Ky in 1962 when he was offered the position of Professor in Pharmacology at the University of Kentucky, Medical Center. His lectures to medical students and his mentoring of doctoral students was exemplary. He continued his research in the area of gnotobiology and lectured on host- microflora interactions and antibiotic resistance.

Helmut spoke seven languages and loved music, art and history. He retired from the University and shortly thereafter lost his beloved wife, Iretta Gordon. In 1993 Helmut returned to Niles, Michigan and lived there until his recent passing on. He was truly a renaissance man, a wonderful husband, father, grandfather, friend, who was also capable of building two houses, growing grapes, sailing and piloting sailplanes. He is survived by Iretta Gordon Micskey of Los Angles California, Brent Gordon of San Diego, California and two granddaughters, Cornelia and Antonia Gordon.

Memorial services will be held at 2 pm Sunday August the 1st, 1999 at the First Presbyterian Church, Niles Michigan. Halbritter Funeral Home, 615 East Main St., Niles, Michigan is overseeing the funeral arrangements. Memorial contributions may be sent to the Helmut Gordon Gnotobiotic Student Travel Fellowship Fund at the Halbritter Funeral Home.

Geza Bruckner, Ph.D.