News 2007 - Gordo Remembered

It is with great sadness that I am passing on the news that Gordon Yuen, one of Port Alberni's most promising young badminton players, died in a car accident on Wednesday July 11th. Gordon was 19 years old. He was a longtime member of the Alberni Badminton Club, he represented his school at the Provincial Badminton Championships numerous times and he represented the Vancouver Island-Central Coast Zone in the 2002 BC Winter Games in Williams Lake with distinction, bringing home a Bronze Medal in the Team Event and a Silver in the Individual Boys Doubles Event with fellow Port Alberni partner and friend, Chris Sowden. Gordon was a talented, hard-working, generous, and determined athlete who routinely performed above and beyond expectations.

Port Alberni is an amazing community and they have and will continue to provide support and comfort to the Yuen family. It was very evident from the turnout at the memorial service held there on July 17 that Gordon had touched many lives and won't ever be forgotten. He was loved especially for his sense of humour & the Yuens can take pride in knowing that he really was an exceptional young man.

Needless to say there was a large contingent of badminton families in attendance. And when the time came to say goodbye, the PA crew had organized for each of us from his badminton family to lay a feather shuttle on his casket as we filed by Gordon to pay our final respects.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made at the Scotia Bank on 10th Ave in Port Alberni for the Gordon Yuen Engineering Scholarship Fund through account #30270 002 04321 21.

Gordon will be greatly missed.

Claire Sharpe
President Badminton Victoria