Nadeane Atkinson Gordon

Nadeane Atkinson Gordon was born on July 3, 1931 in Barton, MD to Catherine and Robert Atkinson. Eight years later, the family welcomed her first sister, Arlene Izquierdo of Del Ray, FL, followed soon thereafter by her youngest sister, Evelyn Louise Ratlief of Catonsville, MD.

Nadeane graduated from Fort Hill High School, a proud member of the class of 1949. She was named Miss Cumberland of 1949, an obvious choice given her stunning beauty. At the end of that year, she married Woodrow Gurley. They had two children, Bonnie Gurley Kunkel of Darnestown, MD, married to Gerard Kunkel, and Barry Gurley of Frostburg, MD. During her early adult years, she was an active member of the Cumberland community, participating in the Women’s Civic Club, Young Republican’s Club (named young Republican of the year twice), Troop leader of the Girl Scouts, the Cumberland County Club, and worked as a Salvation Army volunteer.

She assumed the operations of her then-husband’s Nationwide Insurance Agency in the early 1960s, and became owner of the Algonquin Hotel circa 1966. In 1971, she assumed full operations of the hotel, and gradually transformed the hotel into a vibrant hub of social activity with a fine dining restaurant (with the help of her then son-in-law Ron Davidson), dinner theater, popular lunch buffets, and guest-chef themed festive banquets. Ms. Gordon was also active in Allegany County tourism events and co-chaired the Bicentennial Committee in 1976. She became a vocal advocate for women in business, as well as women victims of domestic violence.

In the early 1980s, she earned the title of “best grandmother ever” to Erin Kunkel of North Kingstown, RI, married to Chris Elsasser, and Gwendolyn Gleysteen of Columbia, MD, married to Eric Gleysteen (also now with three great-grandchildren, Madeleine Elsasser in RI, and Bastien and Willow Gleysteen in MD). During this time, she met the love of her life, James Gordon of Ocean City, MD. They married in 1983 in Frostburg, MD and she became the happy step-mother of Mary Douglas Young and husband Fred Young of Sealia, CO, Croxton Gordon and wife Ellie of Franktown, VA, and Chris Gordon and wife Shannon of Onancock, VA, and step-grandmother of Brady Young, Brian Young, Heath Gordon, Sally Gordon, Laura Gordon, John Gordon, and Christian Gordon. She also had many step-great grandchildren. Arriving at their relationship later in life, Nadeane and Jim had an unconventional relationship, each maintaining their separate beloved homes–hers in the mountains, his on the Eastern shore–but it was this freedom that allowed them to keep their relationship creative, spontaneous, and uniquely theirs.

Ms. Gordon bought and restored the Jeffries home on Main St. in Frostburg in the late 1970s, and her happiest years were found in her newly adopted hometown. At 68 West Main St. she created a home that radiated with her characteristic warmth and light, reflecting Nadeane’s beauty both inside and out. Over the 40 years she called Frostburg her home, her contributions to the community were innumerable. She was a member and former president of the Garden Club and the Frostburg Beautification committee, and it was her vision to install banners (which she and Nancy Cotton sewed) and flower baskets on the streetlights, collaborating with John Bambacus in these efforts. She designed the iconic “Rooftops of Frostburg” tee shirts and sweatshirts for community fundraising. She was integral in the planning of and fundraising for the Frostburg Public Library as a donor and member of the architectural committee. She also served as a member and former president of the Allegany County Historical Society, a member of the Maryland Historical Trust, for which she also sat on the review board, a member of the Percy Cemetery Preservation, a donor to a music scholarship at Frostburg State University and the Frostburg Annual Christmas Tree, and a former member of the Frostburg Museum. Ms. Gordon loved Frostburg–its history, its natural beauty, and above all, its people. Her friendships and community were her lifeblood, and she cherished her years here.

In 2016, Ms. Gordon sold her magical home in Frostburg and moved to Gaithersburg, MD to be closer to her children. She managed to fit an impressive amount of antiques into an apartment in Kentlands Manor, where, once again, she found friendships that felt lifelong. It seems that everywhere she went, she forged authentic and close bonds with the people she met, and without question, enriched their lives with her sparkling personality and quick laugh, her elegant and timeless style, her endless generosity, and singular love of life. She seemed to know the history of everywhere she went and shared it freely, whether asked to or not. She was an amazing handywoman who had a full woodworking workshop that she put to use building playhouses and garden sheds. She was a passionate gardener, and with the help of her dear friend Steve Yaeger was able to create a small Paradise in her backyard. She put both butter and mayo on a sandwich, and would often oversalt soup, but her cooking was pure comfort to her family and friends. She was a consummate hostess, happily welcoming people into her home for the holidays, a game of Yahtzee on the back porch with her aunts, or as a stop on the annual Candlelight Christmas tour.

Over the last 20 years, Ms. Gordon confronted several health issues that tested her in many ways, but each time she managed to access her deep well of strength and resolve to persevere, a skill she no doubt honed over a lifetime of myriad challenges. And yet through all the adversity she encountered in her 95 years, she made up for it tenfold in joy, curiosity, ingenuity, playfulness, and passion. She was an avid collector of anything that caught her fancy–antiques, anything George Washington, coal miner lamps–but her greatest collection, and the one she cherished above all else, were her friends and family. She will be greatly missed by all who had the honor of knowing her.

Friends will be received at Sowers Funeral Home , 60 W. Main Street, Frostburg on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. A funeral service will follow on Thursday, September 3, 2026, at 11:00 a.m.

Interment will be in Frostburg Memorial Park.