Benny Hoke Gordon of Clover, SC, died in his home February 23, 2018. He was 80.
Mr. Gordon was born July 23, 1937.

He was an Army veteran and retired as service manager at Carolina Industrial Equipment. He was preceded in death by his parents, Lester Hoke Gordon and Lillian Rosanna Harmon Gordon, and his sister Brenda Lowry.

Everyone who knew Benny knew that he was a master mechanic. He rarely met something he couldn't fix or a problem he couldn't solve -- sometimes in unorthodox ways. After his house was broken into several times, he created a homemade alarm system by placing a siren in a pine tree in the front yard and rigging it to go off when the front door was opened. He once removed and repaired the transmission in a Mazda truck, figuring out how to get around incorrect instructions in the shop manual. The week before he died he asked for belts for his golf cart, presumably so that he could work on it. The only thing that ever stumped him was a 1970s-era Toro lawnmower that he had fixed many times before but eventually had become too old to find parts for.

He loved camping -- especially in out of the way spots, perhaps not ideal for enjoying the great outdoors -- fishing and Clemson sports. He had a famous sweet tooth and an epic fondness of ice cream. His favorite cake was chocolate.

He taught his daughters how to drive a tractor, how to change the oil in their cars, how to cast a line and how to use a lug wrench. Some of their best memories are of him returning from work and giving them a ride up the driveway on the running board of his truck, letting them steal gum from his pocket protector or bringing home his favorite Italian sub from Villa Roma for supper.

His grandchildren remember him for the camping trips with him and Grandma; gadgety Christmas toys he would by at CVS, Harbor Freight or Northern Hydraulics; the playhouses he built; and the spare change he loved to save and share with them.

He was a man of few words and a man of his word, and although he rarely said how he felt, you always knew. His daughters learned from both him and their mama that you can let someone know you love them without saying a word.

He is survived by his wife Grace Hullett Gordon; daughters Carol Ward (Gary), Deborah Brandon (Dan) and Kerrie Goforth (Bobby); five grandchildren (Hoke, Casey, L.E., JT and DJ); his brother Danny Gordon; and sister Judy Gibson.

The family will receive friends 2-3:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 25, at First Baptist Church in Clover. Private services will be held. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to The Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation.

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