Jordan Vladimir Traikoff

Jordan Vladimir Traikoff, known affectionately as Dani, went home to be with the Lord on August 7, 2025, after a two-week battle in the hospital with metabolic encephalopathy. He was born on August 2,1940, in Columbus, Ohio and raised in a Macedonian immigrant home. From a young age he helped out at the various diners, bars, and restaurants his father and family owned around town. He attended Columbus Public Schools, where he began lifelong friendships, and graduated from Columbus South High School in 1958. He had a strong tenor voice and enjoyed singing in the school choir and performing in musicals, his favorite as the story of Edvard Grieg in the operetta "Song of Norway". His other passion was football and playing offensive lineman for South High School. After high school he attended Ohio State University, majoring in Journalism, graduating in 1963. While there he participated in University Chorus, was a diehard Buckeye fan, and wrote and edited for the university paper, The Lantern.

The summer before graduating college, he took a family trip to Macedonia (then the country of Yugoslavia) where he met his future bride. His father and her father were best friends in Macedonia and pledged to marry their children one day. Jordan was smitten with Sofia, and after a summer of getting to know each other among the company of family, they decided to get married. After a marriage celebration in Macedonia, Sofia came to America a year later, where they were also married and she became a citizen.

Upon graduating from Ohio State University, Jordan built a career at O.M. Scott's and Sons (now Scott's Miracle Grow) as an accounts manager building relationships with vendors that were vital for the company's growth. While there, he helped create the first customer service hotline in the country and wrote informational articles for the company newspaper. At the same time, he and Sofia built a family together, raising two daughters and a son.

After retiring from Scott's, he continued to work, contracting himself as a financial consultant for local companies. After a near death car accident between two semi-trucks when he was 60 years old, Jordan built himself back up and a few years later took a job delivering cars for local dealerships which he enjoyed very much being on the road and driving on many trips with his cousin Sam who also worked for those dealerships.

Family and faith meant everything to Jordan. He was a good provider for the family and loving husband and father who was there to cheer on his kids and grandkids at gymnastics practice, piano recitals, little league cheerleading, band contests, swim meets, and all the choral and theatre events they participated in, as well as homework helper. He was raised in the Orthodox and Protestant faith and was part of the committee to build the first Macedonian Orthodox church in Ohio in 1965. In addition, he was an active member at Livingston United Methodist Church, singing in the choir and raising money for new organ pipes and a bell tower. After moving to Westerville, he and the family attended Central College Presbyterian Church as well as St. Mary's Orthodox church where he loved singing the hymns and liturgical music of the orthodox tradition. He and Sofia attended Central College until his health prevented him from attending in person.

Jordan was loved dearly by his family and those that knew him. Five years ago, a simple hospital procedure damaged the one already weak kidney he had and led to him having to go on dialysis. Though he was prepared to meet the Lord, he suffered through it to stay with his family longer, but it ultimately led to his decline in health and eventually death. He will be terribly missed but is now free from illness and in the loving arms of the Lord.

Jordan is survived by his wife Sofia, daughter Debbie (Ken) Howard, son Matthew, grandsons Ryan and Noah Douglas, sister Donna Clauder, brother-in-law Ivan (Lila) Kolikonovski, nephews Zach and Mike Clauder, many beloved cousins and friends.

He is predeceased by his parents Mike and Helen Traikoff, daughter Rebecca Douglas, and cousins Tom and Sam Traikovich.

A viewing will be held at 11:00 am on Friday, August 22, 2025, followed by the service at noon in the sanctuary of Central College Presbyterian Church, 975 South Sunbury Rd. Westerville, Ohio 43081. The burial will follow at Maplewood Cemetery in New Albany, Ohio.

In lieu of flowers, you may donate in Jordan's name to the National Kidney Foundation.

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