Mary Connell Jordan

Mary Joyce Connell Jordan passed away on October 11, 2023 in Houston, Texas, at the age of 79. She was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on July 23, 1944 at Our Lady of the Lake Hospital (at its earlier location on Capitol Lake). She was preceded in death by her parents, George McCrea Connell and Claudia Bell Bankston Connell. She is survived by her son, Edgar Chapman Jordan, IV (and spouse Monique Mello Jordan), her grandchildren, Laura Mello Jordan and Luiza Mello Jordan and her brother Robert Angus Connell.

Mary grew up in the family home in rural West Feliciana Parish, near St. Francisville on the family’s farm and cattle ranch, and, from an early age was surrounded by a large variety of cattle and farm and other animals. She developed a love for animals that continued throughout her life, especially for dogs and, later in life, for cats. An early memory as a small child, on a freezing morning at home, was her greeting an orphan calf with a baby bottle of milk, when the calf was brought to the living room fireside by her father. She was a graduate of St. Francisville High School and Louisiana State University.

She was loving and kind, and was perceptive, intelligent and adventurous as well, peppered with a wicked sense of humor, all talents and traits that she applied to her journeys through life, both in city and rural settings. As a teenager, she developed an interest in cooking, and became quite proficient in baking cheesecakes, profiteroles and other pastries and delicacies at home. She became known as a gourmet cook, although she denied that she deserved such an appellation and she loved to plant and nurture her flower gardens. Her adventurous and curious nature led her to take flying lessons. Later she sought challenging employment for her multitude of talents, and for a time worked skillfully as a railroad dispatcher for a shipping company downriver. Afterward, she began a lengthy and fruitful employment as a psychiatric assistant.

She was always inquisitive and gregarious, developing a need for solitude to indulge her love of serious reading and intellectual pursuits, and at the same time a desire for companionship, satisfied through gatherings of friends and family for viewing ball games, entertaining at parties and holding discussions. Until her health began to decline, she also relished going to concerts, plays and other theater events.

After the death of her mother, she moved back into the West Feliciana family home, where she learned to manage the family property, and simultaneously continued to indulge her various intellectual interests. Here she also developed a warm friendship with her grandchildren, who promptly began calling her “Mimi.” As her health continued to decline, she moved to Houston, Texas to be near her family.

A Memorial Visitation for Mary will be held on Saturday, November 4th, 2023 , from 11am to 1pm, followed by a Memorial Service at 1pm, at Rabenhorst Funeral Home and Crematory, 825 Government St., Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 70802.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.rabenhorstdowntown.com for the Jordan family.

To send flowers, please visit www.billyheromans.com.