Friends, relatives share memories of slain student

March 11, 2001

SANTEE -- This was the year they should have been signing his yearbook.

But yesterday Randy Gordon's friends found themselves writing their fond farewells on a poster-size card at his funeral.

The second Santana High School boy to die Monday, Randy was the first to be buried. Before the private burial, 700 mourners met at Sonrise Community Church to lament his passing and relive their memories.

"Because of this, I don't have to stand on a hill and shake my fist," Randy's uncle, Steven Kerchner, said after the memorial service. "They know."

What they know is that Randy was a runner and a Navy recruit who read Tom Clancy novels and said "good morning" in Russian. At 17, he had adult dreams of joining the FBI and childlike indulgences like Slurpees, Skittles and snickerdoodles.

In a year, he shaved an impressive three minutes off his two-mile time. His final elective class was physics, not exactly the cakewalk some seniors take. And he, too, was picked on, but never would have grabbed a gun and fired it on a crowded campus, as schoolmate Charles "Andy" Williams did.

"They're separated by freshman and senior, by their year," a shocked Mari Gordon-Rayborn said Tuesday of her son and Williams. "But (Randy) would have said something. He would have been his friend."

Thirteen were wounded in Monday's attack, and Randy and Bryan Zuckor, 14, died.

Yesterday people began filing into the Baptist church 90 minutes before the family did. There were Santana High Principal Karen Degische and Don Bainum, the teacher who spent Randy's last moments with him. And freshman Randy Mills, 15, the first of Randy's friends to speak.

"On my 15th birthday, we went ice skating," the boy said, smiling through his sadness. "And Randy was slowly going around the outside of the rink, hanging on for dear life."

He wasn't a very good bowler either, senior Kyle Deal, 18, told the crowd. But he liked it. Same thing with jokes. He cracked too many that weren't funny. But people liked that, the same way they liked him.

Phil Herrington, a Sheriff's Department chaplain who counseled the Gordons this week, said his appreciation of Randy's promise is still growing. The pastor officiated at Randy's service even though the two had never met.

Throughout the service, family members clutched each other for support. Stan Rayborn, Randy's stepfather, held the boy's mother. Randy's brother and sister, Michael, 14, and Allissa, 12, huddled next to them. Nearby were Randy's biological father, James Burke, and another stepfather, Bob Gordon.

Navy recruiter Michael Mulinix, who introduced his new recruit to military bacon at a Coronado mess hall just last month, said a flag was being raised above the Arizona memorial at Pearl Harbor in remembrance of him.

"Randy will never get to spend that first day in the Navy, but Randy is a shipmate I will never forget," he said.

"He's the kind of kid you want your kids to be around," said Dale Sheehan, Randy's track coach. "He's the kind of kid you want your kids to be."

One of the most poignant moments came when senior Brad McGuinness, 17, ended his own remarks with a few words from shooting victim Raymond Serrato. One of Randy's closest friends, Serrato was unable to attend the service because he is recovering from a chest wound at a hospital.

"He was a very caring and giving person who always put others in front of himself," Serrato, 17, wrote. "I miss him and am always thinking of him."

After Randy was laid to rest, dozens of relatives gathered at a private reception in El Cajon. Dale Goble, Randy's great-uncle, flew from Japan to join them.

He remembered asking Randy several times when he would cross the Pacific for his first visit. "Someday" was always the answer.

Just recently, that exchange made Goble think about buying Randy a ticket as a graduation gift. Like the watch his mom, stepdad and siblings bought Randy for graduation, it will never be given.

"But," Goble said, tapping his heart twice, "I'm taking him home with me right here."

The family said they were stirred by the tribute and the turnout, both yesterday and Friday, when Gov. Gray Davis and 3,000 others came to the church.

"Randy was such a good kid," Kerchner said. "He didn't stand out. That's why so many people liked him."

His mother said: "He just touched so many people. I couldn't keep him to myself."

Santana High art teacher Pam Ryerson helped design the card Randy's friends signed and gave to his mother. On it, she wrote, "I am so very sorry for your loss, and I hope our care will help you through this difficult time."

Student Charles Rose drew a heart beneath his entry: "Randy was a good friend to me and he will always run like the wind."