Vincent “VJ” Jordan
Vincent “VJ” Jordan, long-time resident of Labelle, Texas, died Sunday, June 25, 2023, in Huntsville, Texas, at the age of 85. He was born January 30, 1938, in Beaumont, to Annie Catherine Orlando Jordan and Joseph Jordan. His grandparents all immigrated from Palermo, Sicily around the turn of the century and settled in Beaumont where Vincent grew up along with his two younger sisters and numerous Italian cousins.
He began working at an early age delivering newspapers on his bicycle for the Beaumont Enterprise. He met his future wife, Noreen Aubey, when she was 12 and he was 14 because she happened to live on his paper route. They were smitten from the start, and he soon began altering his route so he could deliver the paper to her house last and then stay and visit with her and her siblings in the front yard for a while afterwards. They both attended St. Anthony Catholic School where they dated for over 5 years. He graduated from St. Anthony in 1956 and she in 1958. He then attended St. Thomas University in Houston for two semesters before the urge to start their life together interrupted his college plans. They married in April 1959 and had their first child, Joseph, in 1961, daughter, Ann, in 1962 and son, Richard, in 1963.
He began a full-time job with the Beaumont Enterprise where he worked the grave-yard shift composing the classified ad pages in the days of lead type. He always said he not only had some of the fastest fingers in the business but could also read upside down and backwards faster than anyone he knew!
Always a very skilled wood-worker, he won numerous awards for his model building including four Fisher Body Championships where he placed first or second in the State of Texas for his original automobile designs and hand-made balsawood models.
He moved his young family to Labelle in 1966 building their home on three acres on the corner of the Aubey land where they planted dozens of pine trees that eventually stood out conspicuously in the rice fields and pastures along Burrell-Wingate Road. He soon began building cabinets and taking on other carpentry projects in his spare time until eventually, he decided to quit the Enterprise and become his own boss which he was for the next 40 years. His reputation for quality work was so good that he never had to advertise and always kept busy from repeat customers and referrals. In addition to providing for his family, he also taught both his sons, and later his grandson, carpentry skills that would last their lifetimes.
Vincent loved his family and attending their school events, especially the Hamshire-Fannett High School football and playoff games. He loved traveling and would always try to get away during the summer for at least a week to go camping and canoeing, usually along the Guadalupe or Neches rivers. Later in life, he loved to fly up to Red Lake Ontario where he would spend several weeks each season doing renovations on a dozen remote fly-in fishing cabins.
He traveled twice to Italy and saw the Pope on both occasions and got to visit the small towns of Corleone and Chiusa Sclafani where his Sicilian grandparents had once lived. He always longed to go back again and loved talking about those trips for the rest of his life.
He adored his 4 grandkids and 8 great-grandkids who were truly the joys of his life. He never tired of visiting with them and was always bragging on one or another of them whenever an opportunity arose. He loved to tell stories and never met a stranger. People loved him for never being too busy to strike up a conversation and spend time getting to know them.
He became an Aggie Dad when his oldest became an Aggie in 1981 and was an avid Texas A&M fan for the rest of his life. He always had an Aggie hat or an Aggie shirt and his Aggie flag on his wall, truck or flying from his flag pole.
He was a life-long faithful Catholic who tithed in both good and hard times and he never turned down an invitation to use his skills when he could help the Church. Much like Joshua, he taught his family that he and his house would serve the Lord.
He is survived by his children, Joseph Jordan and his wife, Valerie, of Southlake; Ann Jordan Bartosh and her husband, James, of Huntsville; Richard Jordan of Huntsville; daughter-in-law, Leigh Jordan of Fannett; grandchildren, Chris Hefner and his wife, Melissa, of Pflugerville; Sherri Elder and her husband, Donny, of Fulshear; Whitney Matak and her husband, JR, of Fannett; Shelby Walker and her husband, James, of Hamshire; great-grandchildren, Benjamin, Sophia, Nicholas, Jordan, Brielle, Natalie, Ayla, Gentry Blaire; and numerous extended family members, loved ones, and friends through the years.
Vincent is preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Noreen; and his two sisters, Connie and Catherine Jordan.
A gathering of Mr. Jordan’s family and friends will be from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m., with a Rosary recited at 6:00 p.m., Wednesday, July 5, 2023, at Broussard’s, 1605 North Major Drive, Beaumont. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m., Thursday, July 6, 2023, at St. Mary Catholic Church, 9894 Gilbert Road, Fannett, with his interment to follow at Jordan Family Cemetery, Labelle.
Video
Gathering of Family and Friends
Broussard’s Mortuary Major Dr.
- 1605, North Major Drive, Beaumont, Texas, 77713,
- July 5, 2023
- 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Rosary
Broussard’s Mortuary Major Dr.
- 1605, North Major Drive, Beaumont, Texas, 77713,
- July 5, 2023
- 6:00 pm
Mass of Christian Burial
Broussard’s Mortuary Major Dr.
- 1605, North Major Drive, Beaumont, Texas, 77713,
- July 6, 2023
- 10:00 am
Interment
Broussard’s Mortuary Major Dr.
- 1605, North Major Drive, Beaumont, Texas, 77713,
Dear Ann, Joe, and Ricky,
I will always remember how my Dad and grandfather thought the world of your father. How clever he was with all those tools in your garage. And how hard your father worked when my grandfather got it in mind to build another porch on that little house. I will always remember how your mother and father so obviously loved each other. Their’s was a very special love.
Yesterday, a good friend sent me the following. She knows how I’ve missed my Dad. She misses hers too. I hope you can find her little message comforting.
“Grief, I’ve learned, is really just love. It’s all the love you want to give but cannot. All of that unspent love gathers up in the corners of your eyes, the lump in your throat, and in that hollow part of your chest. Grief is just love with no place to go.”
With love, your cousin, Judy
Thanks Judy! I love to hear the memories that the family had of Dad. He always enjoyed using his tools and his talents to make people happy. Thanks for taking the time to share yours. God bless you cousin!
Dear Joe, Valerie and family
Your Dad was an amazing person how blessed to have had a Dad like him. We could see where you get your great qualities from Joe. May VJ rest in peace, and our deepest sympathies to you all.
Your friends,
Martha and Kyle Enerlein
Thanks so much Martha & Kyle. I’m sorry you weren’t able to meet him in this life. I know he’d have loved you both as much as we do.
So sorry for your loss. He was a very fine man.
Thank you Sheila!
Your dad sounds like a very good and friendly perfect gentleman. Reminds me of my own father in law, who was the perfect gentleman too. I know you will miss him. And so, please know we are saddened by your loss and we will keep him and all of you in our thoughts and prayers.
Thank you Pat & Dannie. I know Dad would have loved you both as much as we do.
Dear Jordan Family,
Prayers and condolences on behalf of myself and the parishioners of Our Lady of the Assumption Church. It was an honor to meet and visit with V.J. on the occasion of his sister Catherine Rose’s funeral. Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord.
In Christ’s love,
Fr. Kevin L. Badeaux
Thank you Fr. Kevin! We so appreciated you officiating at our Aunt Catherine’s rosary and funeral Mass and sincerely appreciate you coming to Dad’s visitation and rosary as well. It was a real blessing to have you there with us. Thank and God bless you always!
My thoughts and prayers are with your family ♡ Pat Bouillion
Thank you so much for being there with us for the visitation and rosary and for sharing you memories of Dad and Mom. You were always a blessing in their lives and we love you for always making the effort to be there for them. God bless you always!
Mr. Jordan was truly a spectacular man. He was always quick with a story and had the means to make you laugh. He will be greatly missed.
Thank you Shelby. He spoke of you often and how much he appreciated all you did for him this last year or so. You were a blessing to him and we sincerely appreciate all you did for him. God Bless you always!
Vincent: A prayer to you, who can now intercede for all of us. /A friend, my sister Mary Ellen’s classmate, with Noreen, and a most talented craftsman. My first encounter with Vincent was through “Uncle Joe” our great barber, his Daddy, who talked about how Vincent built award winning auto designs with large wooden model cars for the Fisher Body Craftsman’s Guild, and once won first in the State of Texas, and second, another time. Unfortunately, They all burned in his house fire a few years ago. The Fisher Body annual contest was a big deal with us boys of the fifties. You can still see pictures of winners on the internet. He got me interested. It led to my own finding out craft things about myself. My condolences to Vincent’s sons, and to Brenda Aubey. Danny Durdin
Thank you… He mentioned your name as one of his friends a lot!
Ann: I didn’t mean to leave you out, in my comments about Vincent. I never knew you, and did not remember you. I hope some family pictures will be put together soon, so I can see you and your brothers. I once asked Vincent to take a picture of his cars, and send one to me. He did so, and said that was the only picture he ever took of them, and even he said he never knew why. I was able to send it back to him a few years back. You can write to me at my e-mail address sometime. I would like to know more about what happened to my pal. Thanks for your comment to me. Danny Durdin
Hello Mr Durdin,
I’m Vincent’s granddaughter Whitney. I have a couple of framed windmill pictures that he wrote your name on the back of. I’m guessing you gifted them to him? Either way I know your name from stories he told during my 37 years of loving him. 😊 Thank you for your friendship to him.
Joe, Ann, and Ricky,
I’m so very sorry for the loss of your Daddy. May he always remain deep in your hearts and he is no longer suffering. You are in my heart and prayers.
Thank you Ida!
Thank you Ida! Dad always loved getting to see you. God bless you!
Will miss knowing he is not around. Last time I saw him was at Hubert’s house and before that at a High School reunion. Vincent would wait for Noreen after school every and they would walk downtown from St Anthony’s to the bus stop. I guess that was courting time. Vincent was a talented artist. He was friends with everyone. I liked him very much. After talking with him at Hubert’s, I looked for him without success. He will be missed. Can’t think of too many people to say that about except for Dewey and Johnny.
Thank you for your kind words!
Joe, Ann & Ricky,
I’m so sorry for the loss of your dad. My prayers are with you and your families at this time of sadness.
Thank you Darla! I appreciate your prayers!
Thank you Darla! Dad always loved you as much as we all do. God bless you and your family.
We are sad to hear of Vincent’s passing. Our thoughts and prayers are with all of you at this time.
Thank you!