Fellow legislators said Kris Jordan’s voice will be missed in the Ohio General Assembly after he died unexpectedly at home on Feb. 25 following a diabetic reaction.
Jordan, 46, an Ostrander resident, was serving his third term in the Ohio House of Representatives in District 60. Previously he served two four-year terms in the Ohio Senate.
“Kris Jordan was a dear friend who actually got me involved in politics,” Rep. Beth Lear (R-Galena) said. “We have worked together on county and state issues since 2010. His fearless voice for conservative principles will be sorely missed at the Statehouse. His three young children remain in my prayers.”
Lear’s District 61 seat includes eastern Delaware County and western Knox County, neighboring Jordan’s district.
Jordan, who was a type one diabetic since the age of 18, was born in Marion on Feb. 10, 1977, to Ralph K. and Patricia A. (Laucher) Jordan, according to Snyder Funeral Homes.
A lifelong resident of Delaware County, at age 25 he was elected to his first term as Delaware County commissioner. He served six years as commissioner before being elected to serve as a state representative in 2008 for the 2nd House District. He was elected to House leadership as assistant minority whip – the first freshman in Ohio House history to do so. While serving in the Ohio Senate, he was chairman of the State and Local Government and Veterans Affairs committees.
Rep. Darrell Kick of Loudonville, who represents District 98 which includes all of Coshocton and Holmes counties and eastern Knox County, said his colleague’s death was a shock and hard for many representatives, lobbyists and others inside the Capitol Square.
“It was pretty somber when we had our ceremony leading into session yesterday with his chair being draped with the American flag, and just not having him there, was pretty tough for a lot of people,” said Kick, who had known Jordan as a colleague for many years.
Jordan had longstanding ties to the General Assembly even before his first election, Kick said.
“A long, long line of people that know him and love him are really going to miss him,” he said. “Like I said, he was just such a strong conservative throughout the time that people looked up to because of that reason on our side of the aisle especially, so he will be missed.”
Jordan’s family includes his children, Macy, David and Everly Jordan; parents Ralph and Patricia Jordan of Powell; older brother Kyle Jordan of North Carolina; and mother of his children Melissa (Clements).
Visitation was held Thursday at the Snyder-Rodman Funeral Center in Delaware. Services celebrating his life were held Friday morning, with Celebrant Tom Dea'therage officiating. Burial followed at the Fairview Cemetery in Ostrander.
Memorial contributions can be made to the Kristopher Jordan Children’s Educational Fund, c/o Richwood Bank, 1512 W. William St., Delaware, OH 43015 or the Delaware County 4-H Endowment Fund (601622). Checks made out to the Ohio State University Foundation can be mailed to The OSU Foundation, P.O. Box 710811, Columbus, OH 43271. Include the fund number and in memory of Kris Jordan in the memo line of the check. 4-H donations can also be made online at go.osu.edu/4hkrisjordanmemorial.
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