Anabella Guzman Jordan

Anabella Guzmán Jordan, 86, of Charlottesville, Virginia, founder of Asociación Emergencia Ayacucho and the Ivy Inter-American Foundation and a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and humanitarian, passed away on October 6, 2026, just three months and one day after the death of her beloved husband of nearly 62 years, former U.S. Ambassador David C. Jordan.

Born September 23, 1940, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to Luis Guzmán and Iris Valente, Anabella earned her undergraduate law degree from the Universidad de Buenos Aires. In 1964, she moved to the United States to marry David Crichton Jordan, whom she had met in Argentina. They married on December 14, 1964, at the Argentine Embassy in Washington, D.C., and settled in Charlottesville, where David joined the faculty of the University of Virginia. Anabella subsequently earned a master's degree in Spanish from UVA and taught Spanish at the university.

During her husband's service as U.S. Ambassador to Peru from 1984 to 1986, Anabella witnessed the devastating effects of terrorism and poverty on children and families. In 1985, she founded Asociación Emergencia Ayacucho, dedicated to providing homes, education, and opportunities for children orphaned or displaced by violence. She mobilized artists, musicians, businesses, and civic leaders to support the cause, transforming cultural events into charitable fundraisers and helping inspire a Peruvian counterpart to We Are the World.

Her humanitarian work continued for more than four decades. Through Asociación Emergencia Ayacucho and the Ivy Inter-American Foundation, which she also founded, she raised millions of dollars and supported projects benefiting vulnerable children and families in Peru, Honduras, Argentina, Mexico, Guatemala, Colombia, Bolivia, and elsewhere throughout Latin America.

Anabella possessed a rare gift for bringing out the best in others. Warm, gracious, determined, and blessed with a wonderful sense of humor, she made those around her feel appreciated, loved, and capable of extraordinary things. She was equally devoted to her family, maintaining close ties to her Argentine heritage while creating a welcoming home in Charlottesville. She was her husband's greatest champion and an unfailing source of encouragement to her children and grandchildren.

Her life embodied the virtues of faith, hope, and love. She believed deeply in the power of individual kindness and demonstrated that compassion, combined with determination, could change lives.

Anabella was preceded in death by her husband, David Crichton Jordan, on July 5, 2026. She is survived by their three children, Stephen, Victoria, and Anne; seven grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Her legacy endures in the family she cherished, the institutions she built, and the countless lives she touched through her generosity, encouragement, and love.

She will be laid to rest beside her husband at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Ivy, Virginia. The funeral service will be held at 10am on October 16. Memorial contributions can be directed to the Asociación Emergencia Ayacucho (https://aeamiami.com/donate/) in lieu of flowers.