Grit, Grease, and Legacy

From a small-town garage to a community pillar, the Gordon family’s dedication left a lasting mark on Jasper.

James and Mildred Gordon

Words by Jenny Lynn Davis | Images by Ryan McGill land courtesy of the Gordon family

James Gordon never intended to build a legacy; he just wanted to fix cars. But in doing so, he created something much bigger than an auto body shop. Gordon’s Body Shop, founded in Jasper, was a fixture of the community, a place where hard work and family values shaped every dent pulled, every car repainted, and every customer interaction.

After serving in the United States Navy, James returned home, eager to build a life for himself and his wife, Mildred. His skill in auto body repair took root in a Birmingham dealership, but the long commute on a two-lane road soon led him back to Jasper. He found work at Carl Price Mercury Lincoln Dodge, where he quickly rose to manager. But managing someone else’s shop didn’t sit right with him. “He realized he was doing all the work and not seeing very much of the benefit,” says James’s son, Joe Gordon. So, in true entrepreneurial spirit, James rented a small shop downtown and set out on his own.

From those humble beginnings, Gordon’s Body Shop grew quickly. A two-man operation soon expanded into a full-fledged business, moving from one location to another to accommodate its growing demand. By the time the shop settled on Elliott Boulevard, it had become a cornerstone of the community, offering towing, bodywork, painting, and front-end repairs. James Gordon was ahead of his time, investing in modern equipment like frame machines and factory-built wreckers long before anyone else in Walker County. His towing service became essential, often operating as a first responder at accident scenes before emergency crews had the necessary equipment to extract victims.

But beyond the services, what set Gordon’s Body Shop apart was its people. James never hid behind an office door. He met customers personally, offered estimates himself, and worked hands-on until the day he passed. His wife, Mildred, was the backbone of the operation, keeping everything in line with the same warmth and discipline she brought to raising their three children. Their sons, Johnny, Joe, and Jim, grew up in the shop, sweeping floors at ten, driving tow trucks at sixteen, and eventually becoming an inseparable part of the business.

“It meant everything,” Joe says. “We all worked hard because we felt responsible for maintaining the reputation and quality of service.” For over five decades, Joe operated heavy-duty wreckers, experiencing firsthand the unpredictable, around-the-clock demands of the towing world.

It wasn’t just the Gordon family that felt the weight of the shop’s impact. So did the town of Jasper. Truckers passing through knew they could count on Gordon’s when trouble struck. Local customers trusted the family’s craftsmanship. And for those who stopped by their home, James and Mildred’s hospitality was always evident.

“My grandmother cooked every night through the week and on Sundays,” says their granddaughter, Jamie Gordon Bailey. “I remember local police officers, state troopers, and even folks just passing through would stop by to visit, and there was always a meal on the table. And if you showed up on the right day, you’d hit the jackpot with her homemade lemon icebox pie.”

Like all businesses built from the ground up, Gordon’s Body Shop eventually faced its own crossroads. After James passed in 1999, his sons kept the business going, honoring the legacy their father built. But the weight of running a 30-employee operation was immense. When Joe’s older brother Johnny passed away in 2001, the responsibility became heavier. The shop kept going for years, but by 2018, Joe knew it was time. He retired at 62, and the business was sold, marking the end of an era.

Yet, for those who knew Gordon’s Body Shop, its closing wasn’t just the end of a business. It was the close of a chapter in Jasper’s history. The memories remain of the break room where locals gathered, the late-night calls for help, the sight of James Gordon, limp from an old work injury, still showing up every day to get the job done.

Some businesses leave behind empty storefronts when they close. Others, like Gordon’s Body Shop, leave behind stories that will always be part of the town’s history, told and retold by those who remember a time when a little shop on Elliott Boulevard was more than a place to fix a car. 78