George C. Jordan

It is with great sadness that the family of George C. Jordan announce his passing from his earthly life at age 97. George passed away peacefully at Living Healthy Home Care in Citrus Heights, CA on September 4, 2018, and now shares his heavenly home with his lord, Jesus Christ. George was born on July 16, 1921 in Henderson, North Carolina to George M. Jordan and Mamie Fowlkes Jordan, and was the oldest of three children. Besides his parents he was predeceased by his brother, Herbert and a sister Louise Patrick. His mother died in childbirth along with her fourth child. He is survived by his son, Philip H. Jordan and daughter – in – law, Margaret “Maggie” McLaughlin – Jordan, and numerous nieces and nephews. After graduating from Henderson High School in 1939, George enlisted in the U.S. Navy in October 1939, to help support his widowed father and his siblings. He served as a Navy Corpsman and rose to the rank of Chief Pharmacist Mate during his enlistment. While in high school, George was an apprentice embalmer at a local mortuary, which would serve him well later in life. When WWII broke out on December 7, 1941, George was stationed on the east coast, and shortly after, was assigned to the First Marine Division, and was with the division on British Samoa Island for 21 months. He returned to the states, and was stationed at the Mare Island Naval Shipyard Hospital in Vallejo, CA where he met the love of his life. Elizabeth “Betty” Piepho, was working at the ammunition depot, at the west end of Mare Island, when love blossomed and George and Betty were married on August 6, 1944 at St Peters Chapel on Mare Island. Betty was asked several years later why she had moved from Minnesota to Vallejo, CA, and she responded, “that’s where the sailors were”. She and her “sailor” shared 49 years of marriage together, and lived in Vallejo all of their married life. At the end of WWII, George had intentions of making the Navy a career, but the constant station changes would have been too much of a hardship on his young family, so he used his GI education benefit and attended San Francisco State College of Mortuary Science, and upon graduation worked for a number of years as an embalmer for several mortuaries in Vallejo. Shortly after the California Medical Facility (state prison) in Vacaville opened, George applied for and was hired as a Medical Technical Assistant (MTA), and spent 26 years there before retiring in 1981, as a Senior MTA. George and Betty used their retirement time well and travelled extensively, in their travel trailer, with the BPOE – Elks RV-ers, Lodge 559, of which he was a life member. George continued to work in the mortuary business and was a member of the staff at Twin Chapels Mortuary for many years. George was also a member of the Vallejo Moose Lodge 468, Knights of Pythias, California State Employees Association, California Retired Public Employees Association (RPEA), The American Legion, Mare Island Navy Yard - Post 550 and Alyn W. Butler – Post 169 in Roseville, CA. For health reasons George moved to Sacramento to be closer to his son, Philip and his family. George lived at Quality Care Home in Sacramento, and the family wishes to thank Nick and Ana Bush for the loving care that George received there. He was always included as part of the Bush family, as was Philip and Maggie, and George’s family will be ever grateful for his time there and blessed with now having an extended family with Nick and Ana. George was under the care of Green Valley Hospice in Roseville, Ca, when he passed peacefully at Living Healthy Home Care. His family wishes to thank both organizations for their care of and compassion for George in his final days. At George’s request, there will be no formal funeral service. Under the direction of Twin Chapels Mortuary, there will be a viewing on, Thursday, September 13, 2018, from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM followed by a graveside service and burial, with military honors, at Tulocay Cemetery, 411 Commbsville Road, Napa at 1:00 PM, with the Rev. Al Marks of First Baptist Church, Vallejo, officiating.

George C. Jordan

July 16, 1921 - September 4, 2018