Martha Jordan

Martha Elnora Jordan left this earth October 4th, 2019 in Wichita, Kansas at age 85.  She was the daughter of Tilford and Maxine Toalson of Urich, Mo. and was the wife of the late Jerry F. Jordan of Neodesha, Ks.  Her family and friends knew her as Elnora.

Elnora is survived by her three children and their families: William Mark Jordan (The Woodlands, TX); Jeanne Renee Hernandez, husband Randal Hernandez, and children Jordan Christina, Alexandria Marie and Connor Joseph (Wichita, Ks); and Dawn Christina Cook, husband Dennis Cook, and children Emily Renee, Matthew William and Carly Grayce (Lee’s Summit, Mo).

Elnora was born July 2, 1934 on the family farm five miles South of Urich Missouri.  Her mother recalled it being a very hot day.  Dr. McDonald was the attending physician.  Elnora has three sisters:  Roberta Jeanne Miller (deceased), Nettie Grayce Mouse, and Ruby Katherine Holt all of Urich and one brother, Roger Kahn Toalson who died at birth.

Elnora attended grade school at Hickory Grove School; a country school adjacent to the family farm.  Her favorite teacher at Hickory Grove, a one room school with eight grades, was Anna Cowan.  Anna lived with Elnora’s family one year and later became a missionary in Jordan.

After the death of her grandfather Omer Allen Toalson, her family moved into Omer’s home in Urich where Elnora attended fourth grade thru high school.  She enjoyed ice skating in the winter, and watching Gene Autry and Roy Rogers’ movies at the theater in nearby Clinton.  In high school she played basketball and home economics was her favorite class.

During her grade school days, her father, and later her mother, worked at an aircraft manufacturing plant in Kansas City, Mo. in support of the World War II effort.  After the war effort her father returned to Urich to farm.

After high school, she went to Missouri University in Columbia.  She lived in Johnston Hall her freshman year and often had coffee at the student union with her sister and fellow student Roberta.

Elnora married Jerry Jordan on April 30th, 1953 at the Presbyterian Church in downtown Columbia.  Later that year Jerry was called to the Army during the Korean War.  Elnora continued college while Jerry was in the Army and graduated in 3 ½ years with a bachelor’s in business and elementary education.  She then spent 2 ½ years teaching in Sturgeon, Mo.  Jerry returned from the Army, he went to Missouri and earned a degree in civil engineering.  Jerry also grew up in Urich.  Their first dates were going to the local baseball games.  Jerry was the love of her life.  Elnora and Jerry’s extended families have many common acquaintances which make for great family gatherings.

In 1959, the couple moved to Neodesha where Jerry joined the Archer Daniel Midland Company which later became M.E.C.  At the time, Neodesha had an alfalfa plant and Standard Oil Refinery; so Elnora noted several new smells to get accustomed to.  Jerry and Elnora lived in the North Lawn addition on North Fifth Street, 520 Walnut and moved into the family’s long time residence of 704 Iowa in 1972.  Jerry died in 1977.

A fulltime mother and homemaker, Elnora was devoted to her family.  She enjoyed attending Music Club in Neodesha and played the piano and organ.  Her close friend and neighbor Ruth Scudder had a common love of music.  She had a standing bridge game with close friends Ann Gibson, Dorothy Adams, Dorothy Casteel, Patty Bailey, Irene Gudde, Twyla Forslund, Viola Koger and others which spanned approximately 50 years.  Church circle was an important part of her life as well.

Elnora enjoyed being able to walk to the nearby library, grocery store,  Senior Center and most other things Neodesha has to offer.  Walking, attending “Get Fit” and participating in water aerobics at the Neodesha pool were other activities she enjoyed.  She truly loved her life in Neodesha.

Elnora kept a residence in Urich where she would go one week a month and was able to spend time with her sisters and other family members.

After a heart attack in August 2016, while attending the Missouri State Fair, Elnora moved to assisted living in Wichita, KS where she lived until her death.  Burial will be next to her husband in the Hickory Grove Cemetery outside of Urich, adjacent to the family farm where she, her father and sister Roberta were born.

Celebration of life services will be Saturday October 12, 2019 at 10:00am at Neodesha United Methodist Church at 802 Indiana, Neodesha, KS. Burial will be at 4:00pm at Hickory Grove Cemetery in Rural Urich, MO. A visitation will be Friday October 11, 2019 at Loran Fawcett Chapel from 6:00pm to 8:00pm when the family will receive friends at that time. Memorials can be left in Elnora’s name to the W A Rankin Memorial Library and can be left at the Loran Fawcett Chapel in Neodesha, KS. On-Line condolences can be left to the family by going to www.loranfawcettfuneralhome.com