Gordon Cheesman Vliet

To view the Video of Gordon's Celebration of Love and Military Interment with Naval Honors, Please click the link belowhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lh5gwYjEiZQTRIBUTE TO GORDON CHEESMAN VLIET August 4, 1932 ~ January 16, 2019

"He had a very full life."

Gordon Cheesman Vliet, 86, of Tucson Arizona, husband of Dr. Elizabeth Lee Vliet, died peacefully at home on January 16, 2019 from complications with bronchiectasis and pulmonary fibrosis. Born in Saginaw and raised in Alma, Michigan, the oldest of four children of Stanley Cheesman and Thelma Pratt Vliet, Gordon was an honors student and played football, basketball and tennis in high school. He attended Alma College for one year before enrolling in The College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia, where he received his A.B. in economics in 1954. Gordon met his wife, Elizabeth Lee Wadkins, Class of 1968, at William and Mary in 1967. They were married in July 1968 at the Sir Christopher Wren Chapel on the William and Mary campus and recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.

After graduation Gordon served with distinction in the U.S. Navy in charge of the legal office on the U.S.S. Worcester, a light cruiser, with tours in the Mediterranean, Caribbean and Japan. He was honored as Division Man of the Year for his leadership. Known for his humor, he was a cartoonist for "The Navy Times" and the ship's newsletter. He served six years in the Naval Reserve and received an Honorable Discharge.

Gordon was selected as a Rotary Foundation Fellow in 1957-1958 and completed his Master's studies in Economics at the University of Exeter in Dover, England. During his Fellowship, he represented Rotary International speaking at Rotary Clubs throughout Europe, and Scandinavia. He continued to be active in Rotary and served on the Rotary District Board of Directors and the Governor's District Advisory Committee in Michigan, and as President, Vice President and Program Chairman of clubs in Williamsburg VA and Alma, MI. Gordon was a sought-after speaker, doing programs for over 300 Rotary Clubs in the US and overseas.

After his father's sudden death in 1957, Gordon returned to Michigan to help his mother raise his younger sister and brother, then eight and nine years old, and became President of The Alma Varsity Shop, a sporting goods, office supply and college bookstore founded by his father. He worked nine years with his brother Ron to continue and expand the family business.

In 1966, his alma mater recruited him to be the Director of Alumni Affairs for The College of William and Mary's Society of the Alumni. In 1972 he was elevated to Executive Vice President for The Society of the Alumni and was instrumental in greatly expanding the alumni chapter program in the United States and overseas, conducted the William and Mary Fund to record levels, culminating in the New Era Campaign which laid the groundwork for the successful 21-million-dollar Campaign for the College. He was also the visionary and driving force behind the acquisition and renovation of the College's first Alumni House that was later expanded to the Alumni Conference Center.

Gordon's imagination and vision oversaw major growth in the Society's activities in the U.S. and abroad as he created many new programs for the Society: the Olde Guarde 50th reunion weekend, Alumni College program, Alumni merchandising program, annual Alumni leadership conferences, "Life After DOG" Street" program, the Young Guarde, Alumni Fellow Faculty program, Alumni-Student Liaison and Alumni Admission Network programs, restored funding to continue the historic Queen's Guard, vastly expanded the Alumni Chapter program and Homecoming special events. He designed the W&M Medallion Chair, the Alumni Medallion, and the Bicentennial Medallion presented to visiting dignitaries. Gordon not only created and designed much of the William and Mary merchandise sold to alumni, he was also responsible for the design of the medallion for the Alumni Medallion, the highest honor bestowed on alumni.

Gordon served as Editor of the Alumni Gazette and took it from a quarterly magazine to an 8-issue per year newspaper with semi-annual glossy magazines. He developed the innovative and highly successful Alumni Educational Travel program and was known for his unique tours, such as the first US alumni travel program to the Soviet Union in 1974, The People's Republic of China and Eastern Europe "Iron Curtain" countries in 1979.

After leaving William and Mary in 1982 to move with his wife to a new medical faculty position at Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS) Department of Family Medicine, Gordon served as a Consultant for EVMS in 1983-1984 to develop the first Alumni Program for the medical school.

In 1985, he shifted his career focus to medical administration when his business, administrative, marketing, writing and "people skills" were needed for the development of Dr. Vliet's first medical practice, Health Strategies, Inc. in Norfolk, VA. The Vliet's integrated model of care focused on mind-body health, preventive and climacteric medicine. As Dr. Vliet's work grew to medical services, speaking and writing consumer health books, Gordon provided the executive leadership to help oversee the growth and expansion of their unique medical model to begin medical practices in Tucson AZ (1992) and Dallas Tx (1995).

From 2013 - 2016 the Vliets were residents of Santiago, Chile, researching and developing an innovative physician-directed medical tourism program until his health decline necessitated ending this business expansion and returning to Tucson.

Their medical practice in Tucson and Dallas continues to serve men and women nationwide from puberty to late life seeking answers and help for complex endocrine disorders that had gone unrecognized in the fragmented, specialty-focused medical model. As the practice administrator, Gordon was much loved by patients for his compassion, sensitivity, problem-solving skills, common sense and humor during their health challenges. His caring presence had an enormous impact far larger than his humble quiet demeanor conveyed.

On his 25th wedding anniversary in Hawai'i, Gordon began scuba diving, becoming an avid diver logging over 400 dives all around the world with his wife, whom he called his "best dive buddy." Gordon was an accomplished artist and cartoonist, a student of British naval history, and a lifelong member of Rotary International, Life Member of The National Rifle Association, and Life Member of the Arizona Citizens Defense League.

Gordon best exemplified his whimsical, romantic side in his passion for finding one-of-a-kind champagne flutes, many created by artisans here and abroad, to give his wife for special occasions. His 45-year collection fills one wall of the couple's Arizona home and remains a focal point for conversation and stories. A friend commented, "Gordon organized the display for artistic impact, and could tell if even one of the hundreds of flutes were out of place."

Gordon wanted to be remembered as: "A reader of books, a student of history and art, a lover of nautical lore. A very lucky fellow who married so well, had many good friends and experiences, who saved the Society of the Alumni and The Queen's Guard, who believed in and supported as best he could his wife's work. He had a very full life." At the end of his life, he said his only regret at the end of his life was that he had not devoted more time to his painting.

Friends and patients of their medical practice described Gordon as a gentle spirit, kind, loving, dedicated to serving as an advocate for patients, with an inspiring positive outlook, an inquisitive mind and sharp wit, and a man who loved life and was focused on others before himself.

Gordon is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Lee Vliet, M.D., of Tucson Arizona; brother, Ronald Clair Vliet of Holland, Michigan; sister Cheryl Vliet Stearns of St. Ignace, Michigan; brother Walter Bruce Vliet (Linda) of Denver, Colorado; brothers-in-law J. Thomas Wadkins, III (Robin) and Richard Cleveland Wadkins (Helen), both of Richmond, Virginia; nephews, nieces, great-nieces, and great-nephews.

A private Consecration Cremation Service for close friends who had seen him through his last illness was held on Wednesday January 23, 2019 at 3:00 PM at Vistoso Memorial Chapel. The service was led by his wife in fulfillment of their marriage vows to accompany him in the last step of his earthly journey and consecrate his body to God (Hebrews 12:29).

A Celebration of Love for family and friends will be held at the Vliet home on February 14th in a sunset ceremony, followed by a reception. In his inimitable way, Gordon asked those attending events to remember him to "not wear black, and remember me with laughter and fun, recalling good times I shared with so many friends, our patients, and family."

Interment will be at The Arizona Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Marana, AZ following rendering of Military Honors service at 10:00 AM February 15, 2019. The service is open to family, friends, and other veterans.

Vistoso Memorial Chapel and Funeral Home in Oro Valley Arizona is in charge of the Military Interment Service. For more detailed information and space for memorial comments and tributes, please go to www.VistosoFH.com.

Later in 2019, a Celebration of Life will be held at the Wren Chapel on the campus of The College of William and Mary in Virginia, where the Vliets met and married, to honor Gordon's many programs and accomplishments for the Society of the Alumni during his 16-year tenure. Date to be announced. For more information on Tucson and Williamsburg services, contact Polly Leigh at Vive Life Center at 520-797-9131.

Memorial donations may be made to:

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