Mary Lee Jordan

Artist, teacher, sister, loving mother and grandmother, devoted wife.......the street lights have come on and Mary Jordan has gone home. The daughter of Carl and Mary Ann (Barnett) Nix, she was the sister to Barbara A. Podgorny of Kansas City, MO, beloved wife to Albert B. Jordan, Jr, and mother to Jeanne Ellen Jordan, John Charles (Irma) Jordan of Wilmington, NC, James Blandin (Oanh) Jordan of Portland, OR, and grandmother to Lilian Jeanne Jordan and Jack Everett Jordan. Daughter Jeanne passed on July 2, 1971 of Reyes Syndrome. Mary met Al in 1949 when they were in the fifth grade. Their childhood friendship blossomed after graduating O'Fallon Technical High School in St. Louis, MO. Mary attended Washington University in St. Louis to study Art while working for Other Brothers Art Glass and later Pet Milk Corporation. Concurrently, Al studied Engineering at General Motors Institute in Flint. Mary and Al were married in August, 1961. Daughter Jeanne (1962) and son John (1965) were born in St. Louis, MO. After the untimely passing of Jeanne and relocation to Michigan, James (1973) was born which completed their family. Raising two boys was a pleasure for Mary. During this period Mary pursued her art passion. She worked primarily in watercolor creating pieces in representational and contemporary format. She won several prizes during this period. Her love of children led Mary to volunteer at University Hills Elementary School in Rochester, MI. Her talent for art and love of books made her a natural at working in the library. Mary loved reading to the children and supporting school projects. Upon retirement in 1999, Mary and Al moved to Traverse City where Mary was active in the Old Mission Women's Club, First Congregational Church, Dennos Museum Center, and the Traverse Symphony Associates. Mary loved to cook and bake. Her passion for baking Christmas Cookies was legendary. She would bake up to 25 different cookies, place them in specially decorated boxes and give them to family and friends. She baked cookies for the Old Mission Women’s Club Christmas and Marathon Projects. Memorial services in Traverse City will be held at 2:00 P.M. Saturday, March 3, 2018 at First Congregational Church, 6105 Center Rd., Traverse City, MI. Interment services will be held at Memorial Park Cemetery Chapel, 5200 Lucas and Hunt Rd., Jennings, MO, April 21, 2018 at 1:00 PM. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Mary's name may be directed to the Old Mission Peninsula Community Library Children's Wing (Construction Fund), 2699 Island View Road, Traverse City, MI 49686 or online at www.peninsulacommunitylibrary.org.

Mary Lee Jordan

April 21, 1939 - January 30, 2018