Gordon Thomas Alley ’60

AKA “Mr. Smile” was born October 14, 1938 in Ajo, Arizona to “Tom” and Francis Alley and graduated from Ajo High School in 1956.  Gordon entered the University of Arizona in the fall of 1956 where he pledged Phi Gamma Delta and was initiated in the winter of 1957.  He was a member of Sophos, Bobcats, Phi Delta Phi, Alpha Kappa Psi, ASUA,  and Traditions.  He actively participated in intramurals and helped the Fijis win the football championship in 1958.  Upon graduation, Gordon enrolled in law school at the University of Denver, but escaped back to law school at the University of Arizona where he wrote for The Law Review and graduated in 1963.

While in law school, he married Rene Richards, also a UofA graduate.  They had three children, Nina, G.T. III, and Judy.  The girls graduated from the University of Arizona, but G.T. defected to ASU???

After graduation from law school, Gordon worked for the County Attorney’s office.  He spent every Friday for several years traveling to his beloved Ajo, prosecuting crooks and visiting with his family (Gordon’s father Tom Alley had been a Pima County Supervisor).  He often took his friend Tom Moore along each Friday and helped Tom meet potential clients.  In addition, they each returned to Tucson with one of Francis Alley’s famous pies.

After prosecuting for several years, he became associated with John Sullivan and Ralph Seefeldt in a firm known as Sullivan, Alley & Seefeldt.  He continued traveling to Ajo on Fridays, now in an effort to save those crooks.

Gordon was appointed to the Superior Court Bench in 1990, where he served for eleven years.  He was appointed Presiding Judge in 1999 and served in that position until his death in 2001.

Gordon spent his entire life involved with family, fraternity, love of the law, and his many friends.