Obituary: Gordon William Cormack

Gordon Cormack of Madison, N.H., died unexpectedly at his home on July 28, 2025, while working in the gardens he loved. Born in Lewiston, Maine, on May 5, 1945, he grew up in Wayland, Mass. Gordon spent many summers with his sister in Milbridge, Maine, and on the farm in Dixmont, Maine, where he learned to love the outdoors. He spoke fondly of his time there throughout his life. He attended Norfolk Aggie and graduated from Wayland High School in 1963. As a young man, he served two tours in Vietnam as an air traffic controller for the Army, where he earned the nickname “Red” for the strawberry blond color of his hair, or was it his fiery temper? It probably should remain a mystery. The nickname stuck for many years. Coming full circle, he recently returned from a trip to Vietnam with family members.

Gordon first came to the Valley with dreams of being a “ski bum” He moved up with his first wife, Laraine, and second daughter on the way in 1969. Gordon was an excellent skier and participated in Mountain Meisters for many years. Gaining experience as a carpenter working for Ed Lukin, and later for Joe Sullivan, gave him the confidence to want to start his own business. What started as humble beginnings as Gordon Cormack Builder in 1972, led to Cormack Builders and eventually grew into the award-winning firm, Cormack Construction Management of today, known for building high quality homes across Northern New England. He earned his bachelor’s degree from The College of Lifelong Learning in 1994 and strongly believed his success was attributed to returning to school. He always encouraged and provided opportunities to employees and family members to do the same. He became an avid reader and never turned down the opportunity to stop at a plaque, no matter who was waiting for him. He also enjoyed world travel, learning about new cultures and figured being on time was best left for someone else.