Mr. Edward F. Jordan
Deceased: 2016-01-19
Diocese: AUSTIN
CSM Graduation Year: 1965
Edward Francis Jordan, age 79, died peacefully at his home in Georgetown, TX, on January 19th, 2016. A memorial mass will be held at St. Helen Catholic Church in Georgetown on Wednesday February 3rd at 1:30 pm. A reception will follow in the Parish Hall. Ed’s brother, Father Tom Jordan, will officiate.
Ed was born in Springfield, Ohio, December 6th, 1936, the oldest of seven children. He lived a full and interesting life and completed two vocations successfully.
His first vocation was as a Roman Catholic Priest for 44 years, serving many parishes around the Austin Diocese. He was ordained in 1962 at St Mary Cathedral in Austin by Bishop Louis Reicher. He was assigned to study in Rome and obtained a Doctorate in Theology in 1965. He then returned to Austin and worked as chaplain at Holy Cross Hospital and on the marriage tribunal and other administrative tasks.
In 1973 he became pastor of St. Ferdinand’s in Blanco and St. Mary’s in Wimberley. In 1974, he was assigned to St. Luke’s in Temple, followed by two years at St. John’s in Luling. In November of 1982, he was asked by Bishop Harris to start a new parish in the Waco area of Hewitt and Woodway. This new parish became St. Jerome, where he was the founding pastor. In 1987, Bishop McCarthy assigned him to St. Theresa’s Parish in Austin. Then in 1999, he was assigned to St. John Neuman Parish in Austin. He remained there until his retirement on June 30th, 2006.
He also resigned from the active ministry later that year to begin his second vocation, that of a loving husband. Having officiated at more than 1100 weddings, he attributed a lot of his decision to marry to having witnessed the loving relationships of many of the people he served, as well as the marriage of his siblings. He especially longed for the kind of relationship demonstrated by his dear friends, Bob & Lou Paula Egenolf, and his siblings, Joann & husband, Wayne, and Jimmy and wife, Ann.
In October of 2006, he married his best friend, Vicki Southwell, and became the best house husband ever. He cooked, cleaned, gardened and treated his wife like a princess when she arrived home each day from work, handing her the remote control and taking her beverage order. They enjoyed endless conversations, debates, laughter and book reviews. They also enjoyed their wonderful neighbors and spending time on the porch. He loved being able to walk to the Georgetown Library and was a voracious reader. He also very much enjoyed family time with his stepsons, Stephen and Zachry, and their families, as well as with his siblings. Ed and Vicki discovered Amtrak after their marriage and enjoyed viewing much of America through their window on the train. In 2010, they took what they deemed the ‘Great American Land Cruise’ by train from Los Angeles to Seattle to Chicago and back to Texas, staying at each destination along the way. He also very much loved his two furry sons, Bentley and Baxter. Bentley went to Rainbow Bridge earlier this year at age 17. Baxter the Beagle remains to console Vicki. After receiving his terminal diagnosis last January, Vicki retired in February and they were able to enjoy this final year together in constant companionship.
Ed was preceded in death by his parents, Francis and Laura Jordan, and his brother-in-law, Wayne Sarjent. He is survived by his wife, Vicki, stepsons, Stephen (Jennifer) Southwell, Zachry (Tiffany) Southwell; his step grandsons, Seth & Isaac Southwell, his brothers, Jim (Ann) Jordan, Bill (Ann) Jordan, Fr. Tom Jordan, his sisters, Joann Sarjent, Linda Jordan, and Nancy Gregory, and many wonderful nieces and nephews.
The family would like to thank the staff of Scott & White Hospice, all of whom were so kind and caring, especially Linda Lewis, Melissa Smith, Janie Hebert, Carol Henderson, Rodney Kruse, Sandy Dickens and Candis Johnson.
