Horace R. "Dick" Jordan, 92, passed away on June 13, 2025, at Claiborne Home in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. His family and friends were faithfully by his side, especially in the final weeks of his life.

Dick Jordan was a soldier.

After graduating from the University of Southern Mississippi, where he was a member of Kappa Alpha Order, Dick entered the U.S. Army as a Second Lieutenant in 1955. He retired in 1977 as a Lieutenant Colonel, after 22 years of active duty. His military service earned him numerous citations, including the Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster, Bronze Star with "V" Device and two Oak Leaf Clusters, Vietnam Jump Wings, and the Air Medal with seven Oak Leaf Clusters.

Dick's military career included five tours of combat.    Four separate tours of Vietnam including his last where he was the only American embedded with South Vietnam forces.   He was a jumper and was very proud of the fact most of the Army's parachutes or aerodynamic deceleration devices as the manufacturer called them were made and often packed in his hometown of Columbia Mississippi.   His first tour was during the US invasion of Dominican Republic in 1965.   As Company Commander, he was first to jump.  Unfortunately, his chute did not open.  During the quick descent, he frantically reeled in his chute and continually wadded and threw the pilot chute upward so that it might catch air.    Finally, just before he hit the ground, the chute partially deployed.  A Mae West.   He hit the ground with a thud and suffered momentary paralysis.    He remembers thinking to himself, he had to get up because he didn't want any of his kinfolk working at the parachute factory to get in trouble.

Dick Jordan was an educator.

Early in his Army career, he was assigned as an ROTC instructor at the University of Texas at Austin. He loved teaching cadets and thrived in the academic setting. While stationed in Thailand, he earned a master's degree remotely from the University of Southern California.

After retiring from the Army, he launched a second career in education spanning two decades and three continents, with teaching posts in San Antonio, Texas; Mobile, Alabama; Nuremberg, Germany; and Zama, Japan. He also devoted himself to helping students and cadets secure financial aid through scholarships. As an ROTC instructor, he took great pride in seeing many of his cadets receive full scholarships to four-year universities. As president of both the Alabama and Mississippi chapters of the Sons of the American Revolution, he championed scholarship awards for high school seniors in both states.

Dick Jordan was a homer.

To his childhood friends, he was always "Dickie-boy." He loved his hometown of Columbia, Mississippi. Though he spent much of his life traveling the world, he always came home. He loved everything about Columbia — the brick streets, the white squirrels in his neighborhood, and the fact that everyone knew everyone's name.

As quarterback for the Columbia Wildcats, his team won every game — except the three he missed due to injury. His backup, future Ole Miss great Eagle Day, lost each of those three. Dick would often quip, with a wry smile, "Eagle got a street named after him; I got nothing."

He was preceded in death by his parents, Sonia Kahlil Jordan and Horace Jordan; his sister, Sonia Jordan Fox; and his wife, Mary Garrison Jordan.

He is survived by his children: Rick Jordan (Tammy Theis) of New Orleans, Louisiana; Edward Jordan of Washington, D.C.; and Jack Jordan of Austin, Texas. He is also survived by his stepchildren: Leta Williams of Rockwall, Texas; Windy Tumey (David) of Tampa, Florida; and Kenneth Williams (Marlene) of Rockwall, Texas. His grandchildren include Miller Jordan of Colorado Springs, Colorado; Emi Jordan of Starkville, Mississippi; Cully Jordan of Fortson, Georgia; and Evan Jordan of Minneapolis, Minnesota.

A memorial service will be held at First United Methodist Church in Columbia, Mississippi, on Thursday, June 26th at 1030, followed by a luncheon open to all. In lieu of flowers, the family invites memorial contributions to the University of Southern Mississippi Foundation.
Checks may be made payable to:
University of Southern Mississippi Foundation
118 College Drive, #5210
Hattiesburg, MS 39406

He will be remembered for his courage, his generosity, and his unwavering love for home and country.