Obituary for Allen Duane Jordan
Allen Duane Jordan, long time resident of Lewiston, lost his one-year battle with esophageal cancer April 8, 2023. After surgery in August, Allen decided quickly to go on hospice and so very much benefited from and was grateful for those services until his death. He was then thrilled and humbled by the opportunity to see and enjoy classmates at his 50-year high school reunion last September.
Allen was born August 23, 1953, at San Diego Naval Hospital to Duane and Judy Jordan. He lived in California until December 1958. He graduated from Lewiston High School in 1972. His favorite teacher was Eddy Williams, longtime band instructor. He was an accomplished musician and was a part of the pep band, marching band, jazz and lab band. The summer of 1972, he enlisted in the Navy and served honorably and proudly until his discharge in 1976. As Allen told it, it was the fault of his best friend Dan Button who conned him into joining for four years while Dan joined the Marines for only two years.
Allen met his future wife, Kathy Farley, while in the service, and they then married in 1978. They had one son, Ryan. They later divorced. Allen loved the outdoors, with Waha and Craig Mountain at the top of his list. His greatest enjoyment came from being in the woods, hunting and fishing. He had a dry sense of humor and would share his “clean” jokes with his brother-in-law minister for potential use of levity from the pulpit. Unbelievably, Al was a cat person and Willie, George, and Leon were his entertainment and aggravation.
After the Navy, Allen worked a number of jobs but settled in on long-haul trucking for close to two decades. Traveling nation-wide, he found the work comparatively easy while shearing the top of a trailer off only once. He said driving long distances was far easier in an 18-wheeler than in any regular passenger car. Longing for all that this area provided, he then settled in to work for Valley Sweeping Service in Lewiston from 2000-13. He was happy and successful there, and so very grateful for the support of his employers Jeff and Lori (Mrs. Boss) Eller.
He is survived by his mother Judy Jordan, sister Shanon (Monte) Holt, son Ryan Jordan, and two grandchildren Ryder and Charlee Jordan. He was preceded in death by his father, Duane Jordan.
We will be honoring Allen and his service to his country at a short outdoor memorial service at Lewis Clark Memorial Gardens in the Veterans section near his grandfather Roger Scannell’s gravestone, who also served in the Navy in WWII. The service will be at 11 a.m. April 29.
Allen’s departure from this earth was eased by the love and attention of lifelong friend, Dan Button. “A good friend knows all your stories; A best friend helped you create them.” Allen had a number of longtime best friends including Jayme Tarbert and Jody Hall. Thank you Jody Hall for all the hard work to help Allen manage and navigate a smooth transition to Cascadia — you have a heart of gold and the patience of Job. Allen was lucky and blessed with the friends he had. The family would like to personally thank the staff at Elite Home Health & Hospice and in particular hospice nurse Avon, and Clarkston Health & Rehabilitation of Cascadia and in particular his favorite nurse DeAnna, for the dedicated care and love they all gave Allen. Thank you as well to the VA CBOC in Lewiston for their stalwart care of him over the latter years of his declining, compromised health. In lieu of flowers we suggest that donations be made to Clarkston EPIC Coalition.
He exemplified exceptional courage, grace, compassion, strength, and humor in his final four-month chapter, from the day he moved into the nursing home until the day he took his final breath.
His Irish background and family heritage imbued him with, shall we say, more than a fair amount of strong will, stubbornness and at times bull headedness, but was always underlaid by an uncannily warm, likable nature and ever entertaining sense of humor. It’s also fair to say that while this combination of particular traits didn’t always serve him well, they allowed him to live his life in a manner of his own choosing and led to many predicaments, often hilarious, particularly in hindsight if not at the time. Never too far under that at times irascible, curmudgeonly demeanor was a big hearted softie who befriended others less fortunate or needing help. Never was his big heart, friendliness and exceptional kindness more on display than while living his final days there in the nursing home. He shared his time, attention, and concern for all the other residents, scooting around the facility in his VA tricked out electric wheelchair, brightening the days of the staff as well as residents right up to the final month when he could no longer get out of bed. Even then, he gifted those caring for him with dignity, generosity of spirit, and more than a few totally unexpected flashes of devious humor.
Allen was born August 23, 1953, at San Diego Naval Hospital to Duane and Judy Jordan. He lived in California until December 1958. He graduated from Lewiston High School in 1972. His favorite teacher was Eddy Williams, longtime band instructor. He was an accomplished musician and was a part of the pep band, marching band, jazz and lab band. The summer of 1972, he enlisted in the Navy and served honorably and proudly until his discharge in 1976. As Allen told it, it was the fault of his best friend Dan Button who conned him into joining for four years while Dan joined the Marines for only two years.
Allen met his future wife, Kathy Farley, while in the service, and they then married in 1978. They had one son, Ryan. They later divorced. Allen loved the outdoors, with Waha and Craig Mountain at the top of his list. His greatest enjoyment came from being in the woods, hunting and fishing. He had a dry sense of humor and would share his “clean” jokes with his brother-in-law minister for potential use of levity from the pulpit. Unbelievably, Al was a cat person and Willie, George, and Leon were his entertainment and aggravation.
After the Navy, Allen worked a number of jobs but settled in on long-haul trucking for close to two decades. Traveling nation-wide, he found the work comparatively easy while shearing the top of a trailer off only once. He said driving long distances was far easier in an 18-wheeler than in any regular passenger car. Longing for all that this area provided, he then settled in to work for Valley Sweeping Service in Lewiston from 2000-13. He was happy and successful there, and so very grateful for the support of his employers Jeff and Lori (Mrs. Boss) Eller.
He is survived by his mother Judy Jordan, sister Shanon (Monte) Holt, son Ryan Jordan, and two grandchildren Ryder and Charlee Jordan. He was preceded in death by his father, Duane Jordan.
We will be honoring Allen and his service to his country at a short outdoor memorial service at Lewis Clark Memorial Gardens in the Veterans section near his grandfather Roger Scannell’s gravestone, who also served in the Navy in WWII. The service will be at 11 a.m. April 29.
Allen’s departure from this earth was eased by the love and attention of lifelong friend, Dan Button. “A good friend knows all your stories; A best friend helped you create them.” Allen had a number of longtime best friends including Jayme Tarbert and Jody Hall. Thank you Jody Hall for all the hard work to help Allen manage and navigate a smooth transition to Cascadia — you have a heart of gold and the patience of Job. Allen was lucky and blessed with the friends he had. The family would like to personally thank the staff at Elite Home Health & Hospice and in particular hospice nurse Avon, and Clarkston Health & Rehabilitation of Cascadia and in particular his favorite nurse DeAnna, for the dedicated care and love they all gave Allen. Thank you as well to the VA CBOC in Lewiston for their stalwart care of him over the latter years of his declining, compromised health. In lieu of flowers we suggest that donations be made to Clarkston EPIC Coalition.
He exemplified exceptional courage, grace, compassion, strength, and humor in his final four-month chapter, from the day he moved into the nursing home until the day he took his final breath.
His Irish background and family heritage imbued him with, shall we say, more than a fair amount of strong will, stubbornness and at times bull headedness, but was always underlaid by an uncannily warm, likable nature and ever entertaining sense of humor. It’s also fair to say that while this combination of particular traits didn’t always serve him well, they allowed him to live his life in a manner of his own choosing and led to many predicaments, often hilarious, particularly in hindsight if not at the time. Never too far under that at times irascible, curmudgeonly demeanor was a big hearted softie who befriended others less fortunate or needing help. Never was his big heart, friendliness and exceptional kindness more on display than while living his final days there in the nursing home. He shared his time, attention, and concern for all the other residents, scooting around the facility in his VA tricked out electric wheelchair, brightening the days of the staff as well as residents right up to the final month when he could no longer get out of bed. Even then, he gifted those caring for him with dignity, generosity of spirit, and more than a few totally unexpected flashes of devious humor.