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Reading that Gilbert Nordell has recently passed away at 92 years old is sad but glad that I and my family knew him. He may not have developed Marco island, but he knew the children of the Mackle family, the Neil Bahr family and many, many more that I have space for in my letter.

He developed the lives of us all in that he watched our children play in the swimming pool or where ever in the hotel when it had only 50 rooms, then 100 rooms and even further in the Marriot family as well as all of their guests for those perhaps 40 years of service at that same spot, Marco Island.

He may not have been an executive in his work at the hotel but everyone regarded him as one. He, in my memory of him, was such a help to us all, I call him a great American. It is not easy to keep his type forever, but it surely was proof to me that his bosses knew his service for them was well worth keeping him there at the hotel those years.

When the WGCU Television interview took place recently, he was brought out to meet Frank Mackle III, who had been president of Deltona Corp. in the later years of Marco Island’s development. He is one of those persons who knew Gil in those early years.

This is what makes America great; people like Gil who helps teach young ones what our country is all about. God bless America! Gil and may your soul rest in peace.

Herb Savage