VERNON GEORGE JORDAN OF CHAMPION PASSED AWAY SURROUNDED BY HIS FAMILY AT THE VULCAN COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTRE ON DECEMBER 8, 1997 AT THE AGE OF 66 YEARS.
VERNON WAS BORN IN VULCAN JANUARY 16, 1931, SECOND OF SIX CHILDREN BORN TO JIM AND ALICE. HE IS SURVIVED BY JEAN, HIS BELOVED WIFE OF 44 YEARS, SONS RICK (LYNN) OF BROOKS , LES (JAN) OF CALGARY, DAUGHTER DIANE (TONY) KRYSTALOWICH OF VULCAN AND SIX GRANDCHILDREN: TYLER, BLAKE, COLE, KASSIE , LOWELL AND JORDAN. HE IS ALSO SURVIVED BY BROTHERS KEN OF INNISFAIL, KEITH (RITA) OF SPRUCE GROVE, MELVIN OF VULCAN, RON (MARJ) OF LETHBRIDGE, SISTER CHARLOTTE FLETCHER OF TABER, SISTER-IN-LAW YVONNE OF LETHBRIDGE AND MANY NIECES AND NEPHEWS. HE WAS PREDECEASED BY HIS PARENTS, BROTHER-IN-LAW BOB FLETCHER AND SISTER-IN-LAW KATHY JORDAN.
VERNON GREW UP ON THE FAMILY FARM EAST OF CHAMPION, ATTENDING THE COUNTRY SCHOOLS OF GARRAD, SANDERSON AND HARMONY. HE WORKED FOR VARIOUS FARMERS IN THE AREA, DROVE SCHOOL BUS AND WORKED FOR COCKSHUIT IMPLEMENT S BUSINESS UNDER DICK LACKEY. IN 1952 HE STARTED WORKING FOR NATIONAL GRAIN C0. UNDER BUYER TED ERICKSON. WHEN TED MOVED, VERNON BECAME BUYER IN I953 AND CONTINUED IN THAT CAPACITY FOR
ANOTHER I0 YEARS. IN 1963 VERNON WAS ACCEPTED AS ASSISTANT AGRICULTURE FIELDMAN TO KEN HOULTON FOR THE COUNTY OF VULCAN, BECOMING FIELDMAN IN I967. THAT WAS ALSO THE YEAR THAT HIS LIFE-LONG DREAM OF FARMING BEGAN. RAY WARREN GAVE VERNON THE BREAK HE NEEDED WHEN HE RENTED HIM A HALF SECTION OF LAND. IN 1971 HE PURCHASED LAND OWNED BY AUGUST SIEGEL AND BECAME A FULL-TIME FARMER.
I950 WAS A TURNING POINT IN VERN’S PERSONAL LIFE. HE NONCHALANTLY WALKED INTO THE CHAMPION GROCETERIA ONE DAY, WHERE JEAN HAPPENED TO BE WORKING, AND ASKED HER IF SHE WOULD LIKE TO GO TO A SHOW IN VULCAN. ALTHOUGH THEY DIDN’T REALIZE IT THEN, THIS WAS THE START OF THEIR STORY.
VERNON AND JEAN WERE MARRIED BY REV. PETER DAWSON IN THE CHAMPION UNITED CHURCH ON AUGUST 5, 1953, THE LAST COUPLE TO BE MARRIED IN THE LITTLE CHURCH. EXCEPT FOR ONE YEAR SPENT IN VULCAN, JULY 1963-64, THEIR HOME HAS BEEN IN CHAMPION.
MANY PEOPLE GO THROUGH LIFE WITHOUT REALIZING MANY OF THEIR DREAMS OR AMBITIONS AND EVEN THOUGH VERNON’S TIME HERE WAS SHORTER THAN WE WANTED, HE ALWAYS FELT PARTICULARLY BLESSED IN THAT WAY. A HOME AND A FAMILY WAS ALWAYS HIS DREAM. IT WAS VERY EVIDENT HOW PRECIOUS HIS GRANDKIDS WERE TO HIM. AT FAMILY GATHERINGS , WHEN VERNON GAVE THANKS, HE ALWAYS MENTIONED HIS GRANDKIDS FIRST, AS MORE THAN ONE
DISGRUNTLED CHILD POINTED OUT. THE GRANDKIDS WERE ALWAYS ANXIOUS TO SIT BY GRANDPA AT FAMILY MEALS AS HE ALWAYS HELPED THEM CLEAN UP THEIR PLATES – – WHEN THE PARENTS WEREN‘T LOOKING, THAT IS.
VERNON WAS A VERY PATIENT MAN WHO SELDOM GOT EXCITED OR LOST HIS TEMPER. HIS QUIET AND CALM NATURE ENABLED HIM TO INSTILL CONFIDENCE IN HIS KIDS BY ALLOWING THEM TO MAKE THEIR MISTAKES BUT AT THE SAME TIME GIVING THEM GUIDANCE TO GET THEM BACK ON THE RIGHT TRACK.
ALTHOUGH VERNON WAS A MAN OF FEW WORDS, HE WAS NEVER SHORT FOR WORDS WHEN IT CAME TO HIS GOOD NATURED HUMOUR AND THE TEASING THAT HE ENJOYED SO MUCH.
OVER THE YEARS VERNON HAS HELPED COACH THE BOYS HOCKEY, WAS A SCOUT LEADER, SERVED ON THE SKATING RINK COMMITTEE, CHURCH BOARDS AND WAS A PAST PRESIDENT OF THE CHAMPION LIONS CLUB. IN EARLY YEARS HE ENJOYED HUNTING, FISHING, PLAYING HOCKEY, CURLING AND CAMPING ACTIVITIES WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS.
POST SCRIPT BY IEAN:
IN SPITE OF VERNON’S MANY HEALTH PROBLEMS, WE OFTEN REVIEWED OUR LIFE TOGETHER AND COUNTED OUR MANY BLESSINGS. WE FELT WE HAD SO MUCH FOR WHICH TO BE THANKFUL AND THAT GOD HAD BLESSED US IN SO MANY WAYS. HE ALLOWED US TO HAVE CHILDREN, GRANDCHILDREN AND LONG TIME FRIENDS. HE PROVIDED US WITH DREAMS AND THEIR FULFILMENT. HE PROVIDED US WITH A NEW CHURCH HOME WHERE WE CAN PRAY AND WORSHIP TOGETHER. HE HAS ALLOWED US TO BE PART OF THIS CARING COMMUNITY AND SURROUNDING AREA. WE THANKED HIM FOR PLANTING US HERE.
VERNON HAS MET HIS HEALTH PROBLEMS WITH PATIENT ENDURANCE AND SEEMED TO ACCEPT EACH HEALTH SITUATION THAT CAME HIS WAY.
IF VERNON COULD SAY ANYTHING TO US TODAY, HE MIGHT SAY:
THANK YOU FOR YOUR LOVE, YOUR HELP, YOUR WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT AND YOUR MANY PRAYERS THROUGH THE YEARS. DON‘T PUT SOMEDAY PLANS ON HOLD TO LONG. CLAIM THE PROMISE OF ETERNAL LIFE, IN WHICH I FIRMLY BELIEVE.
THE FUNERAL WAS HELD DECEMBER 12, 1997 AT THE CHAMPION CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH WITH REV. KEITH BLACKMORE OFFICIATING. INTERMENT FOLLOWED AT THE CHAMPION CEMETERY. LUNCH WAS PROVIDED BY FRIENDS IN THE CHAMPION COMMUNITY HALL.
IF FRIENDS SO DESIRE MEMORIAL DONATIONS CAN BE MADE TO VULCAN COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTRE PALLIATIVE UNIT, BOX 299 VULCAN, CHAMPION CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH MEMORIAL FUND OR THE CHARITY OF YOUR CHOICE.
FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS IN CARE OF VULCAN FUNERAL HOME.