Ted leading a field trip in one of his signature hats
Ted Gordon, one of the founding members for the Flora of New Jersey Project, passed away Sunday May 10, 2026. He was 87 years old.
Ted was many things to many people. He was a husband to his wife Pat; father to 3 children Matt, Erich, and Sheri, and a grandfather to many. He was friends with many from his tenure as a teacher and wrestling coach at Northern Burlington Regional High School. He was a New Jersey historian, with keen knowledge of the Pine Barrens and the southern half of the state. He was a charcoal historian, a cranberry historian, and botanical historian.
Ted was a world traveler, making visits to most of the European ecosystems. He made a visit to South Africa that provided a sense of admiration for the flora of that massive, botanically rich landscape.
For the botanical community, Ted was one of our senior botanists with interests in Sphagnum mosses, the Cyperaceae, and many other groups. He was the Philadelphia Botany Club president in the 1990s. He lead many committees most recently NJ Pinelands Forestry Committee, the NJ Natural Areas Council.
To me, Ted was my best friend and mentor. He will never be replaced or replicated. I’ll miss him dearly and cherish the time spent together in the field and our many adventures.
