Gordon K. Stephens
Gordon K. Stephens of Bradenton, Florida and Manitowoc, Wisconsin passed away on Monday, January 27, 2020. At age 87, colon cancer and its ensuing complications took him from his beloved wife of 66 years, B. Joan Stephens (Wilson). His life ended with yet another great story: A Caribbean cruise, Mexican hospital, air ambulance, and a valiant struggle at Blake Medical Center in Bradenton. At the moment he passed, he was surrounded by his devoted wife, four sons, 2 daughters-in-law, and numerous grandchildren. Gordon’s love of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula was epic. Torn from the U.P. as a young teen due to the economic pressures of WWII, he was educated at the Henry Ford Trade School in Detroit as a tool and die maker. His passion for the U.P. and love of its people drove many of life’s decisions. Hunting, fishing, and exploring the north-woods obsessed him, and in 1979, at age 47, he left a stable career to start a plastic injection molding company. On a handshake with the mayor, the site in Ironwood, Michigan was chosen. The business thrived and a second division in Two Rivers, Wisconsin was founded in 1987.
