John Jordan Jr.

John H. Jordan Jr. VIRGINIA BEACH - The Rev. Dr. John Hartley Jordan Jr. died April 20, 2010 at Windermere Nursing Facility. Mr. Jordan was born May 8, 1927 in St. Louis, Mo., raised in Kirkwood, Mo., the son of Elizabeth Garlick Witt and John Hartley Jordan. He was a veteran of World War II. He was graduated in 1951 from Virginia Military Institute where he was a Southern Conference wrestling champion and inducted into the VMI Sports Hall of Fame in 1978. Mr. Jordan received his Bachelor of Divinity from Virginia Theological Seminary in 1958 and an Honorary Doctorate of Divinity in 1992. Mr. Jordan was curate at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Richmond, Va., from 1958 to 1960, assistant at Christ Church, Winchester, Va. 1960 to 1962 and rector at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Culpeper, Va., from 1962 to 1967. He began his ministry at Galilee Episcopal Church in Virginia Beach in 1967 where he served as rector until 1992. While at Galilee, Mr. Jordan was a deputy to the General Convention of the National Episcopal Church from 1973 to 1985. He was President of the Standing Committee, served on the Commission on Ministry, and the Commission on Human Sexuality for the Diocese of Southern Virginia. Mr. Jordan was head of the Community Services Board for Mental Health, Retardation, and Substance Abuse for the city of Virginia Beach from 1976 to 1978. He served on the Commonwealth of Virginia's State Board of Mental Health, Retardation and Substance from 1985 to 1993, serving as vice chairman in his last term. He was instrumental in founding The Sugar Plum Bakery, a business employing people with special needs. He was involved in the formation of the JCOC, a ministry to help those less fortunate in the community. Mr. Jordan was the First Citizen of Virginia Beach in 1991. He received the Hampton Roads Youth Center Man of the Year in 2000. In 2002, he received the Humanitarian Award for the National Conference for Community and Justice. In retirement, John served at Christ Church and St. James Church in Emporia, Va., Emmanuel Church, Portsmouth, and St. Simon's by the Sea, Virginia Beach. Mr. Jordan is survived by his wife of 48 years, Robbin Randolph Arthur of Winchester, Va. In addition to his wife, he is survived by his four sons, John Hartley Jordan III of Virginia Beach, Carter Randolph Jordan and his wife Janie of Raleigh, N.C., Christopher Carrington Jordan and his wife Michelle of Athens, Ga., and Timothy Hooker Arthur Jordan and his wife Courtney of Richmond, Va.; six grandchildren, Christopher Donovan Andrews, Sarah Cole Jordan, Caroline Farrar Jordan, John Hartley Jordan IV, Elizabeth Robins Jordan and Robert Edwin Arthur Jordan. He is also survived by a sister, Katherine Rogers Moody and husband Warren of Fort Worth, Texas and was preceded in death by a sister, Mariana Jordan Ramsey and husband Stanton of Kilmarnock, Va. A memorial service will be conducted at 5 p.m. Sunday, April 25, at Galilee Episcopal Church. The family wishes to express their most grateful thanks to the staff at Windermere Nursing Facility and Heartland Hospice. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Galilee Episcopal Church, 3928 Pacific Ave., Virginia Beach, VA 23451, Virginia Military Institute, P.O. Box 932, Lexington, VA 24450 or Heartland Hospice, 5029 Corporate Woods Drive, Suite 110, Virginia Beach, VA 23462. H.D. Oliver Funeral Apts., Laskin Road Chapel, is handling arrangements. Online condolences may be made to the family at hdoliver.com.