Gerald “Jerry” M. Gordon had a challenging beginning. He and his identical twin brother, Larry, were born in 1933, several months premature and weighing less than 4 pounds each. At that time, many people believed premature babies were too weak to survive, and there were few resources to help them.
Concerned for their sons, Jerry and Larry’s parents, Arthur and Jenette Gordon, took a unique step suggested by hospital staff. They entrusted their fragile infants to Dr. Martin Couney, who ran an incubator exhibit at the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair. The exhibit displayed premature babies in incubators, allowing fairgoers to see them grow healthy. The sign read: “Infant Incubators with Living Babies.” This attraction not only garnered public interest but also provided necessary care for about 100 newborns during its operation.
Visitors to the fair were captivated. Nurses would showcase the tiny infants by sliding a diamond ring up a baby’s arm, highlighting their small size. Jerry and Larry’s grandmother even pumped milk daily for the nurses to feed her grandsons while their father, Arthur, made frequent trips to the fair to deliver it.
Dr. Couney was dedicated to saving lives. Over his career, he saved around 7,000 premature infants between 1898 and 1943 at various locations like Coney Island and numerous fairs. Thanks to him, Jerry and Larry not only survived but thrived. They later joined their father in the baking industry, moving from owning small bakeries to working at the larger Community Bakeries.
“Their story is remarkable, and it’s a key part of our family history,” said Carolyn Gordon, Jerry’s daughter. Jerry passed away on January 23 at home in Evanston at the age of 91, while Larry died a year later at 89.
The twins attended a special reunion for incubator babies in 2018 at Harold Washington Library, where they shared the stage with other survivors. This event coincided with the release of Dawn Raffel’s book, “The Strange Case of Dr. Couney,” which discusses the impact of this exhibit.
Jerry was born on November 3, 1933. His parents didn’t even know they were expecting twins until just before birth. The incubator exhibit provided not only medical care but also financial relief. Carolyn noted, “They couldn’t have afforded a double delivery. The exhibit helped them get the medical assistance they needed.”
Jerry attended Von Steuben High School and the Illinois Institute of Technology, later serving in the Army from 1956 to 1958. He shared a close bond with Larry, who was not just his brother but also his best friend. During a trip to Paris, they stopped to shop for gifts, where Jerry met a saleswoman who caught his eye. They began a long-distance relationship that led to their wedding in Paris, celebrated on a boat along the River Seine.
After moving to Evanston in 1967, Jerry thrived with his family. “He often said, ‘I’m a lucky boy,’” Carolyn recalled. “We’d remind him, ‘We’re a lucky family.’ He loved his wife and kids and lived life on his terms.” Jerry enjoyed skiing, sailing, running, and even rode a motorcycle into his 70s.
Raffel commented on the significance of the incubator exhibit, stating, “It may have been a sideshow, but it saved lives and changed public perception. This helped make the treatment of premature infants a priority.” Jerry is survived by his wife, Michelle, two daughters, Carolyn and Julie, son Stephen, and five grandchildren. Services have been held to honor his memory.
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