Murray Gordon grew up on the hill near Forest Park.
It was a neighborhood where kids sledded in the snow and deer darted through the backyard.
His parents, a dairy products salesman and a dietician, often repeated time-old sayings. One favorite was, “If you’re going to do something, do it right.” Another one was finish what you start.
Gordon went on to Everett High School and Everett Community College. Color blindness put an end to his dream of being a military pilot. People close to him suggested the fire department. In 1977, Gordon became an Everett firefighter.
“It was one of the best decisions of my life,” he said.
About five years later, he was trained as one of the city’s first paramedics. He moved up the ranks. In 2001, he was summoned to meet with then-Mayor Ed Hansen at Evergreen Lanes. Between bowling frames, Hansen asked Gordon to be the fire chief.