“Apparently I have died more times that anyone else in history,” joked Gordie.
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Just last week his son called after receiving an email about a new report of his father’s death. His son is aware of the false reports on the internet in the past, but still, he had to call to check.
Gordie, who spent much of his early life traveling the country to show off his skills with the whip, rope and gun at rodeos and wild west shows, was featured on the "American Pickers" television show in July 2020. The false reports of his death started in October 2020.
Efforts to set the record straight have been futile. In 2021, the Lake Okeechobee News ran a story “Okeechobee’s legendary stuntman is not dead yet.”
Internet sites get other things wrong about the legendary showman. For example, Gordie doesn’t talk about his age. “That’s nobody’s business,” he asserts. But we do know he served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Korean War (1950-1953).
Famous celebrities.com states Peer was born in 1955, referencing a 2004 Orlando Sentinel article in which Gordie’s age was given as “49.” The Korean War ended in 1953, and even if the veteran lied about his age to join the service, he was old enough to send to battle. Is it possible the Orlando reporter did not realize Gordie was joking about his age?
That website also states “Gordie Peer passed away in 2020. The reason for Gordie’s death is unknown.” According to the thegossipworld.com website, Gordie died at the age of 65 in 2020.
Contrary to reports on the internet, Gordie Peer is alive. Most mornings you can find him drinking coffee at Gladys Restaurant in Okeechobee.