Osa Marie Gordon

Osa Marie (Beck) Gordon was born on December 7th, 1911 in Colby, Kansas, to Henry Vorhees D. Beck (1868 - 1924) and Hettie Ann Wolfe (1890 - 1981). Her father was born in Missouri and her mother was born in Tennessee. Osa had three siblings: two sisters, Lea, born 1914 and Thelma, born 1917, and one brother: Dr. Henry Vorce Beck, born 1920. Osa Marie Beck married John Shields Gordon. on November 23rd, 1942, in Washington, D.C. They had two sons: James Beck Gordon, and John Beck. Osa's son, James Beck Gordon, achieved fame as a drummer, winning a Grammy in 1970 for his collaboration with Eric Clapton on "Layla," which won "Best Rock Song." Tragically, he was later convicted of second-degree murder for the killing of his mother and sentenced to sixteen years to life in prison. At the time of the crime, he had recently been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia although he had been exhibiting signs of mental illness for years and had been complaining of "hearing voices" during that time. Osa was murdered by her son, James, on June 3rd, 1983 in North Hollywood, California. She was 71 years old and a widow - James' father had died years earlier -and is buried in Los Angeles National Cemetery in Section 322 Row M, in Los Angeles, California. The sad story of a successful son killing his own mother was covered in local newspapers such as Drummer Faces Trial for Killing. The following article was written just before his first trial: Drummer Faces Trial for Killing. See a photo of Osa's son, James Beck Gordon, who killed her. He died in 2023 in the California Medical Facility in Vacaville, California. James Beck Gordon. Also see James Beck Gordon: Obituary.