Family Information:

Cotton and Joan Gordon were married while he was on leave after serving a tour in Korea. In 1961 they bought a Dude/Cattle Ranch and settled in Colorado with their newborn son. They operated the Ranch and from there Cotton also ran Cotton Gordon Guiding and Outfitting. 2 years later they added another child to the family. Cotton went on to become a world renowned Professional Hunter, owner of Cotton Gordon Safaris and a well-respected businessman. Joan was a SCI Diana winner, this was a huge moment in her life. Thankfully she was able to have Cotton by her side. This would be their last big moment shared together before his death, In July 2000 Cotton's death was reported on KRDO 13 as being mourned by Southern Colorado Business and Civic Leaders and his Funeral and Memorial information was shared on the 5:30 pm & 10pm News.

After Cotton's passing Joan's son and family continued to care for Joan, the family business and estate as they always had while Cotton was away working. At age 75 Joan became a Grandmother and her Grandchild's birth was celebrated by friends & associates around the world. Dick & Mary Cabela published a book “Two Hearts In Tanzania” about their friendship with Cotton & Joan. love of hunting, Africa and their times they spent together in Tanzania, Joan wrote the forward to this book written over a decade after Cotton’s death.

Joan was a wealthy widow & socialite before she became a victim of her Conservators, Guardians and Caregivers appointed by an El Paso County Probate Judge. They were entrusted to take care of her in her old age for her dementia. Her Conservators and Guardians repeatedly reported to the Probate Court that her condition had not changed and she was a still living like a socialite in her home with her beloved dogs, but this was far from the truth. It was discovered that when at her residence, Joan and her precious dogs spent their time locked in her bedroom where the dogs went to the bathroom. It was never cleaned during the 3 1/2 years under Court Care and became infested with rodents. Nothing was done to help when her family and friends expressed their concerns. Not only was Joan neglected, so were her beloved dogs, one dying, and another weighing in at 39lbs, 41lbs less than it's breed is supposed to weigh (80lbs.).

Joan was eventually removed from her home because of severe damage to her residence from lack of supervision & care. She was not getting the 24/7 in home care the Conservators were paying over $200,000 a year for.

When removed from her residence, her family was not consulted or notified of this change. She was placed in a horrible Nursing Home where the neglect continued. Eventually, Joan became septic and psychotic, as would anyone living in these inhumane conditions and isolated from family and friends. After years of fighting in Court Joan’s family FINALLY had the Conservators removed for fiduciary misconduct and the Guardians were removed after her ACTUAL condition was revealed. 3 months later they were finally able to have her removed from the Nursing Home. Upon her arrival at her new residence Joan was finally bathed for the 1st time in years!! Within 24 hours of being at this wonderful home with top of the line care Joan was hospitalized for a week with sepsis as well as violent psychosis that had resulted from her years of neglect. In spite of their best efforts countless hours with Joan assuring her that she & her dog were safe she died 6 months later. Thankfully this time was spent with her family & dog, phenomenal caregivers who treated her like family, she was finally being loved and truly cared for once again as she had been for decades before Conservatorship & Guardianship ruined their lives.

Why they need you?

The Conservators appointed by the Probate Court blew through $1.9 million belonging to Joan and her Trust, cashing out CD’s, IRAs, the grandchild’s College Fund, Assets with Beneficiaries and Trust Assets & Bank Accounts (without legal authority or necessary Court Orders), sold the business that was in place to fund the Estate, leaving nothing to show for it except a trail of abuse, neglect & extensive property damage. Money was being cashed out of her accounts without a trace or record, ten of thousands of dollars were illegally transferred into an account that didn’t belong to her while being falsely documented in Annual Reports as Joan’s care expenses. This was the reality the family faced with the involvement of the El Paso County Government. The goal of these people was to wipe out the Estate and turn Joan back over to the Court once she was indigent. In 4 years they succeeded, wasting what the family spent 50 years building & saving. Everything was setup and meant to care for the properties, family and future generations. All the family has left of a Family Legacy built over 5 decades is the Family home now in disrepair!

Like countless other families suffering this nightmare, Joan's family has found themselves having to sell their own business, spending their savings & retirement fighting to free Joan from her Court Appointed Abusers who stole an obscene amount of money and assets. Since bringing Joan's true situation of neglect, abuse, fiduciary misconduct and perjury in Annual Reports to the Probate Court. Nothing has been done to prosecute the perpetrators of this crime and the family are in desperate need of money for Joan's grandchild's future, well being and to be able to keep the Family Home and survive. There is no oversight of Conservators & Guardians appointed in Probate Court, it really is like the Netflix movie “I Care a Lot” and happens to thousands of families but Colorado & California are the worst! The people under Conservatorship are treated like sick ATMs and have all of their rights and comforts taken way as well as their assets. THESE as well as their beloved pets are used as control/torture tactics!! We are thankful to Britney Spears for sharing her story and bringing this topic into the spotlight. Sadly for those who aren’t as famous it doesn’t end the same way as it did for Britney but we are so happy she took back her freedom, assets, life and is enjoying newfound happiness with her new husband Sam!

Unfortunately, due to their own health issues Joan's immediate family cannot work or rebuild what was stolen and taken so I have created this page to help provide for Joan's grandchild and save their family home. The family has suffered another huge tragedy when Joan’s Grandchild lost one of their parents making life even harder. The surviving parent would like to devote as much time as possible helping others who are living this nightmare. There are so many things these families can/need to do that even local attorneys won’t share. This Probate nightmare is a HUGE moneymaker for everyone EXCEPT the Conservatee and their families. Paperwork, Trusts and Safeguards don’t work when the Court DOESN’T read the paperwork but simply trusts the false words of those they put in charge!! This ENTIRE PROBATE system needs to change and have a separate branch or organization oversee “their care”! THE BIGGEST MISTAKE YOU CAN MAKE……………..IS NOT SHARING YOUR STORY PUBLICLY!! DON’T BE FOOLED!! Probate Court WILL NOT help you, this family went broke just freeing Joan and guaranteeing that she she was TRULY loved, cared for and HAPPY until her death!! The information available to be shared by the family should help others and be used to change how things are done!!

You may ask:

How will the GoFund Me funds be transferred to Joan Gordon's Grandchild?

100% of the funds raised through this site will be transferred to an account for Joan's Grandchild. The funds will be spent on and benefit Joan’s Grandchild, repairing the family home and to pay for the child’s education.

100% ownership rights of all funds collected here belong to Joan's Grandchild and will be handled at the sole discretion of the family until the child reaches 18.