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Published in The Oak Ridger
Published in The Oak Ridge Observer
Published in Y-Source
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By Ray Smith: This Jack Case story comes from Judie Gordon Henegar, of Information Services in the Information and Materials Division. She remembers fondly the relationship between her Dad and Mr. Case.
My father, John Gordon, worked with and later for Jack Case from the mid-1940's when he came to Y-12 as a tool and die maker from Kenosha, Wisconsin, until he lost his sight due to complications from diabetes in 1962. Shortly before my Dad left, he was Superintendent of Mechanical Operations and was transitioning to K-25 to a job later shouldered by Ken Somerfeld. You may recall A. L. Conte, as the Union Carbide executive and former Y-12’er who was profiled in one of the earlier articles discussing the Jack Case Management System. In this article my Dad was mentioned as one of able men arising from Mr. Case's leadership who always rose to meet deadlines and get the work out.
I went with my Dad to Mr. Case's retirement party on January 29, 1982. It was quite an honor and made a lasting impression on me to see so many old timers talk with my dad, Mr. Case and others about the history they had helped make at Y-12. Some of the stories I heard were funny, some were touching, and some can't be repeated, but all were interesting, and I will never forget the retirement celebration.
One story I want to relate happened when Mr. Case came to my parents' home shortly after my father became permanently blind. I was eleven years old at the time. Mr. Case had petitioned the Atomic Energy Commission, the forerunner of DOE, to let my father continue to work at Y-12 because he needed him. Mr. Case became emotional when he told my Dad and Mother that he had failed to convince the AEC leadership that he still needed and could use a blind John Gordon. Mr. Case cried when he told my parents that when he pleaded his case, he told the AEC leadership he already had people with eyes, what he needed was a man with my Dad's brains.
Over the years, Mr. Case kept in touch with my Dad and came to our house to visit either by himself or with other Y-12 coworkers from the early years. A funny story that my Dad liked to tell involved a time when the men were all sitting around the bar in our house downstairs. Mr. Case was there along with several others who had come to visit and reminisce about the early days of Y-12. My Dad, always the good host, fixed drinks for and served his guests. Dad's guests had been there for quite some time in the evening when during a lull in the conversation, one of his visitors asked my Dad, who of course could not see, “Would it be alright if we turned on some lights?”-
That completes Judie’s story about her Dad, a special friend and an obvious good worker for Jack Case. When Judie called to tell me about the above story, she was looking for a photograph of Clyde Hopkins for a friend and we were able to locate one for her. She said she was glad to see the Jack Case Center being named in honor of Mr. Case as he was special to her family. She went on to ask if it would be alright to send me a short story and of course I said yes! If you have stories you would like to share about Jack Case or other Y-12 individuals, please send them to me at (srd) or call me at 576-7781. Good stories help define our Y-12 experience and keep us well grounded.
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