Johnny Myrl Moody Jordan left us Saturday, November 6.
She was born November 21, 1925 in Darden. Mississippi. Her mother was Lou (Floyd) Moody and her father Spurgeon Moody. She was the oldest or their children, with brother Royce Lee Moody, (Patsy), sisters Mary Lane Moore (Wright) and Shirley Ann Brassfield (James).
She graduated from Macedonia High School and Memphis School of Commerce. Johnny’s first job, (besides picking and “chopping” cotton as a child), was an office manager for the US Army Depot in Memphis, during WWII. In Memphis, after the war, she met her husband Troxey Virgil Jordan. They married in 1948. In their long marriage of 51 years, they raised three daughters, Janice Schmeski (Fred), Claudia and Beverly. Their first child, Linda Sue died at birth.
During her life, she was also a substitute business teacher at Adamsville High School. In Hickory Hills, Illinois she was the school secretary for Conrady Junior High School. Later she was co-owner and office manager for the Jackson Downtowner Motel and Restaurant.
In all the places she lived, Mississippi, Illinois and Tennessee, her church, (Southern Baptist), was very important to her. She served as Sunday School teacher, church secretary, Vacation Bible School leader and was a WMU member. She was also active in Eastern Star.
As a child of the Depression, she appreciated nice, neat clothes on herself and on others. She often favored colorful outfits, complete with earrings (she called them earbobs), necklaces and pins (brooches). She liked preparing meals for family and visitors. She cooked good beef stews, fried chicken and mashed potatoes, (that were so flavored that they did not need gravy)–she was a southerner. And she even liked cleaning-up after meals.
She was a very good flower gardener. Her yard had blooms early in the spring through to early in the winter. Her house had green plants overflowing. She liked taking pictures of family gatherings, and individuals in blooming garden settings.
In later life, she enjoyed the styling and social gathering of weekly visits to Trends Hair Salon—June was her stylist.
She was always devoted to her disabled daughter–a client of the Madison-Haywood Developmental Services and the Special Needs Class of West Jackson Baptist Church.
Although surviving kidney cancer, she had good health for almost all of her life. She lived a moderate lifestyle, expressing a unique sense of humor. Dr. Witherington and Drs. Rainey (Sr and Jr), (and their staffs), consistent dedication clearly enhanced her longevity. In the last years of her life Osteoporosis crept in, and then she began to have Alzheimer disease. But still she maintained, in large part due to her good care-giving assistants: Freda, Angela, Sheila, and also Vickie and Patricia.
The last two years of her life she moved to Alexandria Place, where again, she was surrounded by good care-givers and assistants.
Johnny appreciated friends and neighbors. She loved her family and extended family. Visitation is 9:30am to 11am, Saturday, November 13, at the South Chapel of George A. Smith and Sons Funeral Home. Funeral services will follow at 11 a.m. at the funeral home. The burial will be at 1:30pm at the historic Shiloh Church Cemetery, Shiloh, Tennessee.
Following our family tradition, all are invited to join us after the burial at Hagy’s Catfish Hotel, on the Tennessee River, 1140 Hagy Lane in Shiloh, 38376.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.GASmithandSonsFuneralHome.com for the Jordan family.
