Jeanne W. Jordan

Jeanne Wagner Jordan was a gifted woman, exemplary wife and mother and a faithful believer in God who cherished the following Bible verse: “…for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day.” 2 Timothy 1:12 Jeanne W. Jordan, wife, mother, homemaker, writer, editor, teacher, and grammarian, was born on October 24, 1921, in Porter, Indiana, to Charles Wagner, of German descent and Jennie Green Wagner, of Irish heritage. She passed away on January 5, 2017, in Roswell, New Mexico. Jeanne grew up during the Great Depression in a family of eight children. While in the progressive Gary junior high school, she was chosen, among 8 of 2,000 students, to attend a pilot program, where she followed an advanced curriculum which included college level literature and drama. She completed her secondary education at Chesterton High School, Chesterton, Indiana, in 1939. Jeanne attended Emmanuel Missionary College in Berrien Springs, Michigan, and graduated with Honors in 1946, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in French and English. In 1964 she completed her Master of Arts degree, Magna cum Laude, in English Literature at Andrews University. On June 14, 1947, she married Richard D. Jordan, a World War II veteran who had served in the elite 10th Mountain Division with the ski troops in Italy. Together, they served the Seventh-day Adventist Church for over 60 years, eleven of which were spent as missionaries in Africa; six years in Ghana, from 1957 to 1963, and five years in Rwanda, from 1973 to 1978. She taught French and English for seven years in the Dowagiac, Michigan Public Schools. Her teaching years began at Broadview Academy, in the Chicago area. After that she taught at Atlantic Union College in Massachusetts, at Bekwai Teacher Training College and Secondary School in Ghana, at Andrews University in Michigan, at La Sierra Junior High and Loma Linda University in California, and Fair Oaks School in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. After retiring from teaching, she worked as an administrative assistant at REACH International, a child-sponsoring agency in Berrien Springs, Michigan. Jeanne served in many capacities in local Seventh-day Adventist churches through the years, including teaching in the children’s youth, and adult divisions. Her duties also included being church clerk and elder. She also served as the Head Elder in the Dowagiac SDA Church, where she was one of the first woman elders in the state of Michigan. In 1992, she and her husband Richard moved to Roswell to escape the Michigan winters. While in Roswell she also served the SDA English Church as adult Sabbath School teacher, church clerk and elder. During an interim period while the church was without a conference-appointed pastor, in 1995-1996, she and her husband, Richard Jordan, co—pastored the local church. She also wrote several articles for religious publications. Before undergoing critical back surgery in 1982, Jeanne left the following testimony: “Let it be known to everyone whose life has touched mine that from my conversion at age 19 I have loved the Lord my God ‘with all my heart and with all my soul and with all my strength and with all my mind.’ I have recognized the stately steppings of the Eternal One along all my paths; I have been grateful for His many providences and have counted it a privilege to serve Him in several lands. I regret my many failures in performing the humble tasks He has given me to do and the sins I have committed against Him, but I rejoice more in the victories He has given me when I have allowed his Spirit to overrule. If as a wife, mother, and sister I have blessed my family by His grace; if as a teacher I have given even one student a glimpse of the love of Jesus; if as a friend I have ever lifted one I love heavenward; if I have once written a line or spoken a word that has turned someone else’s thoughts to God – then I have not lived in vain, and my last breath will have been drawn in praise of Him.” “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.’ Psalm 116:15 Jeanne was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Richard D. Jordan; and her siblings Fae, Robert, Dorothy, Opal, Richard, Betty, and John. She is survived by her sister, Donna Rae Wagner, from California; her daughter, Candace Jordan; her son, Thomas Jordan, (Sherryl Jordan), of Roswell; and her step-grandson, Jeremy Cantrell, from Dallas, Texas; and numerous nieces and nephews. Special thanks to her caregivers, including Elvira Nunez, and the Associates at Brookdale. The friendship and faithful visits of Chuck Russell added pleasure to the last years of Jeanne’s life. A memorial service will be held in Jeanne Jordan’s honor at the Roswell English Seventh-day Adventist Church at 2915 S. Union Ave, at 3:30 pm on Saturday, February 18th. Pastor Ken Davis will lead out in this celebration of her life. Arrangements are under the direction of Anderson-Bethany Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, you may donate to Adventist World Radio, Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA), the Roswell English SDA Church, or the Roswell Literacy Council.

Jeanne W. Jordan

October 24, 1921 - January 5, 2017