Obituary in the Salt Lake Tribune

Craig Gorder

1952 -2012

Craig Gorder, a sensitive man full of life, integrity and passion, courageously passed away the evening of June 23rd 2012. A truly loved husband, father, grandfather, brother, friend, icon in the ski community and construction industry was born April 4th 1952. He lived most of his life in the mountains of Salt Lake City. He married his high school sweetheart and best friend, Sheila Draper-Gorder with whom he built an incredible relationship, a beautiful family, a thriving business, and a majestic house in the mountains. He unselfishly gave everything to those he loved, including two amazing daughters, Sofia Gorder and Giselle Gorder, who married Larry Framme and Corey Unger. Larry and Sofia have a baby boy named Jules Gaardier Framme who loved and laughed with his "Papa" until the end. He is survived by his wife, his brother Brett Gorder, his children, and his grandson.
 

Craig had a distinguished ski career and an avid love of the mountains. In his younger years he was a member of the U.S. Ski Team where he finished top ten in two World Cup competitions. He was the number one slalom skier in the United States in 1973. He was in fact, an incredible competitor, but at the root of his love of skiing was his love of experiencing the elements and exploring the mountains. He was a backcountry skier, mountaineer, hiker, and mountain biker knowing the Wasatch Mountains like the back of his hand, and visiting Ski Mountains all over the world via helicopter. There is a living tribute in the Special Collections department at the University of Utah library that honors his rich career as a skier. There is a backcountry ski run that is known (only by locals) as "Regulator Gorder" in Pinecrest Canyon where he has lived and played for the past forty years.

Craig had a thriving and reputable business called Omega Pools, where he built and engineered thousands of pools, water features, ponds, and the like across the Wasatch Front. He was known for his integrity, ingenuity, fairness, and kindness in business and construction. His sense of aesthetics, his willingness to work hard, and his inventiveness in engineering accommodated the visions of his clients, and earned him respect and success. He will be a contractor that is sorely missed in the world of construction.
 

Upon his retirement, it was his dream to build a fully sustainable home and business in the desert in Madrid, New Mexico. Only partially completed, he and Sheila planned to farm and live off the land, share their desert acreage with people by creating a retreat for children's programs, and spend their time relaxing and enjoying a slower pace-of-life.
It may be no mistake that Craig Gorder, who in much of his life was skiing 80 miles an hour down icy mountains, never made it to his desert oasis to live a slower-paced life. Craig will be remembered for his passion and zest for life, for his ability to seize every moment and give to his fullest extent no matter the situation.
 

There will be a celebration of his life at his Pinecrest Canyon residence this Saturday June 30th, at 3:00pm. Summer BBQ casual attire.

In lieu of flowers, send donations to P.O Box 581079 Salt Lake City UT, 84047 to further Craig and Sheila's vision to complete their children's retreat in the desert.