Paul N. Jordan ’56 died Jan. 11.
Jordan died Jan. 11. Paul was born in Burlington, Wash., to Roy and Myrtle Jordan, the middle of nine children. Paul joined the Navy at 17 and served for 51/2 years, discharged as a pharmacist’s mate, petty officer first class. Paul’s faith journey began at Burlington Lutheran Church. As lifeguard at Lutherwood Bible Camp, Paul met Frieda Miller, and they married in 1952 at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Bellingham. With Frieda’s encouragement, Paul studied at Lutheran Bible Institute in Seattle and earned a bachelor’s degree at Pacific Lutheran College in 1956, a master of Divinity at the Evangelical Lutheran Theological Seminary at Capitol University (Columbus, Ohio) in 1959, and was ordained as a Lutheran minister at St. John’s in Bellingham. A voracious lifelong learner, Paul earned a second master’s in Sacred Theology in 1976 from the University of Dubuque, Iowa. After further study in Portland, Ore., Paul was elected to the College of Chaplains in 1987. Paul served congregations in Fort Wayne, Ind.; Winlock and Spokane, Wash.; Petersburg and Anchorage, Alaska; and Portland, Ore. After retiring to Bellingham, he served as Interim Pastor for St. John’s and was deeply involved there until his death. Paul also served as Chair of the Alaska Governor’s Advisory Board on Alcoholism and was made honorary member of the Alaska Native Brotherhood. Paul was an aircraft pilot, master gardener, bird lover, painter, award-winning essayist, enthusiastic cook and endless “tinkerer.” Paul died at home of natural causes. He is survived by his wife, Frieda, of Bellingham; daughter Ruth (Jordan) Culbertson ’82 and husband Rick Culbertson of Oak Harbor; son Tasche Jordan ’82; and husband Neil McNeill of Seattle; brother Guy Jordan of Ferndale; grandson Brian Culbertson of Seattle; and numerous nieces and nephews.
