Lester B. Jordan's Obituary
Lester B. Jordan, age 90, went to his eternal home on August 12, 2024. He was born in
1933 in Fremont, Michigan, the youngest of six children, to Leonard and Stella (Coil) Jordan. Les attended Fremont Christian Elementary through middle school then, at age 14, moved to his sister Gladys’ home in Grand Rapids to attend Grand Rapids Christian High School. If he wanted to go home for the weekend he had to hitchhike, worrying all the while about getting stuck where the highway split at the Newaygo Bridge (a ten mile walk from home). As a senior in high school, he enlisted in the National Guard where he served for 8 years. During that time he also worked for the family farm implement business.
As a young man, Les and several “Fremont boys” had the habit of cruising the streets
near East Muskegon CRC after Sunday evening Youth Hour to flirt with the “Muskegon
girls.” It wasn’t long before he singled out a pretty brunette, 17 year-old Marilyn
Kalsbeck. On her 18th birthday, he proposed, and on March 25, 1955, Les and Marilyn
established a marriage that would last 69 years.
Les’ first career was as a mason, working for his brother-in-law, Ken Greene. With Ken’s
help, he built his and Marilyn’s first home on Calvin Avenue in Muskegon, where they
would begin their family and spend almost two decades making close friends and many
memories. In 1961, Les joined the Muskegon City Police Department, a career he enjoyed
for 32 years. He was proud of his role and often entertained family and friends with
stories about “walking the beat” and playing practical jokes on fellow officers.
Les was a man you could count on. You could count on him to have the same amount of cash in his wallet in the same denomination of bills. You could count on him to sport the same handsome hairstyle (a Princeton), cut at 6 am every six weeks by the same barber. You could count on him to be up for a game of checkers, cribbage, pinochle, or Rook. You could also count on him to forget the rules if things weren’t quite going his way.
You could expect the same humble and simple prayer to be said before meals…and during meals, you could count him using phrases such as “this would be hard to eat in the car” or “pass the salve”. You could count on the fact that “salve” meant applesauce, mayo or anything somewhat jiggly on the table.
You could count on him to surprise you with a jolly tune on the piano (!), perform a magic trick, or even leap onto a balance beam in his 80’s (think beam on the ground not Simone Biles style). He was the kind of man his kids could count on to show up in his police cruiser at their lemonade stand. His grandkids could count on a chuckle of delight any time they visited and he was always eager to take them on in a game of Mario Kart. Even his littlest great-grandchildren were drawn to his goofy ways, charming smile, and easy laugh.
Most of all, you could count on Les’s steadfast faith in Jesus Christ and his quiet way of serving others. With Marilyn at his side, they faithfully strove to pass their faith on to their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. They attended 1st CRC, and later, after moving north of Muskegon, Discovering Christ Church (formerly 5th Reformed). Les served multiple terms as elder and deacon in both congregations.
Les was preceded in death by his son, David Leonard, great-granddaughter, McKenzie
Marie, son-in-law Hubert Williams, and by his five brothers and sisters, Gladys,
Maxwell, Burton, Mabel and Grace. He will be lovingly remembered by his spouse,
Marilyn; children, Mary (John) Kortman, Jonathan (Brenda) Jordan and Sharon
Williams; eight grandchildren: David (Rachel) Kortman, Bethany (Mark) Beckman,
Janna (Matt) Sikma, Katie (Lee) Veldkamp, Jennifer (Chris) Savage, Joshua Jordan
(Kammi Eacker), Leah Hansen and Patrick (Jessica) Murphy; twelve great-
grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
The funeral service will be at 1:00 pm on Monday, August 19 at Discovering Christ Church; visitation on Sunday, August 18 from 5 - 8 pm at The Lee Chapel of Sytsema Funeral and Cremation Services, 6291 S. Harvey St., Norton Shores, MI 49444, and on Monday from 12 - 1 pm at Discovering Christ Church. Interment will take place at Oakwood Cemetery. Contributions in memory of Mr. Jordan may be made to the mission fund at Discovering Christ Church or Our Daily Bread Ministries.
What’s your fondest memory of Lester?
What’s a lesson you learned from Lester?
Share a story where Lester's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Lester you’ll never forget.
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