Gordon R. Saunders II, born July 4, 1947, in Laramie, Wyoming, passed away July 1, 2020, at 74 years of age due to heart failure in San Diego, California.  He is survived by his loving wife of 40 years, Fran Saunders; two daughters Janace Fischer and Amy Cooper, and two sons, Joshua Saunders and Matthew Cooper; plus 8 grandchildren; sister Christine Dennshiannateano and husband Roberto, and brother Jim Saunders and wife Janine; and many nieces and nephews and cousins and beloved friends.

For the last 5 years, Gordon and his wife worked on a beautiful vineyard at their home of 25 years in the hills above Escondido, California.  Gordon is an active member of the Farm Bureau in San Diego County for Pineknotgully Vineyard; where he tended to his vines and grapes on a daily basis, hoping every year to produce a good wine. Throughout his life, Gordon played the saxophone, and attempted to instill his love of fishing and fly tying on his kids and grandkids – despite never catching "the big one."   He is also an avid bicyclist, swimmer, photographer, and crossword and sudoku puzzler.  After his service as an U.S. Army Medic in Vietnam, he pursued psychology to help others, obtaining a M.A. at the University of New Mexico, and a Ph.D. from International University in San Diego.  He worked with the Navy since retiring in 2012.  Kind, quiet, gentle, diplomatic, and intelligent.

"If you had listened hard enough, you might have heard what I meant to say" – Gordon R. Saunders, II

His family plans to host a celebration of Gordon's life in the future.  Donations, in lieu of flowers, can be made to Greenpeace.