Ethel Jordan

“Death is only a part of life’s journey to joy in heaven.” Mary Ethel Jordan past from this earthly journey to her eternal home at the Longwood Community Living Center in Booneville, where she resided for two years. She was 76. She was born in Amite County on September 15, 1937.

In 1941, along with her grandfather, mother and three siblings, she left the Mississippi delta and moved back to her family’s native Prentiss County, where her ancestors were pioneers. She graduated from Wheeler High School. Shortly after, she, her mother, and youngest brother, James made another move to Biloxi, where she lived for the next 50+ years.

It was there she met and married the love of her life, Joe Allen Jordan. The first time Joe saw her he said, “I’m going to marry that red headed girl.” To their union was born a daughter. In March 2005 her love, a victim of childhood polio, past from this life. That same year, hurricane Katrina took their home.

Displaced by the storm, she moved back to Prentiss County to live near her nieces and nephew. She spent the last eight years doing things she loved to do; sewing, knitting, crostitching, reading, collecting cook books, going to church and Sunday School, and visiting her daughter and grandchildren in Texas.

A celebration of her life will be at 1:00 P.M. Monday, July 14, 2014 at East Booneville Baptist Church, where she was a member, with Dr. Steve Howell and Bro. Rickey Kelly officiating. At a later date a service will be held at Poplar Head United Methodist Church in Saucier. Burial will be alongside her husband on the family farm in Texas. Services in Booneville are under the direction of McMillan Funeral Home.

She is survived by her daughter, Donna Marie Baker and husband Tommy of Warrenton, TX; her granddaughter, Ann Marie Baker; her grandson, T.J. Baker; a brother, James (Janice) Simmons of Saucier; a brother-in-law, Wendell (Carol) Jordan of Echola, AL; nieces, Evelyn (Luther) Smith and Erline (Curtis) Smith of Booneville and Edith Pannell of Tupelo.; nephews, Tim (Delsie) Owens of Jumpertown, John T. (Judy) Owens, Jimmy (Shirley) Owens, Jerry Simmons, Terry (Julie) Simmons, all of Biloxi and Larry (Nelda) Simmons of Moyak, NC.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 45 years, Joseph Allen Jordan; her mother, Sudie Jim Simmons; a brother and sister-in-law, Paul and Ophelia Simmons; and a sister and brother-in-law, Bertha Mae and John H. Owens.

Mrs. Jordan had a heart as big as she was, with that in mind, memorials may be made to East Booneville Baptist Church, Poplar Head United Methodist Church or a charity of choice.

Visitation will be one hour prior to service time at the church.

Condolences may be left at www.mcmillanfuneralhome.com.