Obituary of George Jordan

George A. Jordan of Burlington, husband of the late Julia Jordan, died peacefully in his sleep on Feb. 17 at the Hanover Hill Health Care Center in Manchester, NH, where he was recovering from a recent surgery. He was 94. George was born March 11, 1923 in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts. He lived in Burlington, Massachusetts, in his home on Church Lane, from 1955 until 2017. He was a custodian in the Burlington Public Schools from the 1960s until his retirement in the 1980s, and worked for most of that time in the Pine Glen Elementary School. George served in the U.S. Navy Armed Guard, defending Merchant Marine ships, during World War II. He was at Naples and Anzio during the Allied invasion of Italy in 1944 on the S.S. James M. Wayne, which was targeted by German artillery fire at Anzio from February 29 to March 10. George was the recipient of the Asiatic-Pacific Medal, European Medal, American Medal and the World War II Victory Medal. George was the 12th of 14 children of Thomas and Annie Bertha Schwartzwalder Jordan of Jamaica Plain. He is the last surviving member of that brood. According to a Boston Globe article dated September 15, 1945 the Jordans were the “first family in the country to donate 10 members” to the military during the war. The Globe quoted Secretary of War Henry Stimson praising them as “that type of American manhood which will make the cause of freedom prevail.” George married Julia Ganshirt, also of Jamaica Plain, on May 25, 1945, at the Blessed Sacrament Church. They purchased a triple decker on Boylston Street in Jamaica Plain with a GI-Bill subsidized loan and began raising the first four of their six children there. George worked at Armour & Co. on Columbus Ave. for nine years. He moved with his family to Burlington in 1955. In Burlington, George worked at the State Road Liquor Store on Cambridge Street, and Jerguson Gauge and Valve on Adams Street before joining the custodial staff in the schools. He was a long-time member of the American Legion and the VFW in Burlington. He lived in his home on Church Lane until this past summer, when he moved to the Brightview Concord River assisted living facility in Billerica. George was husband of the late Julia (Ganshirt). Loving father of Nancy Jerauld & her husband Philip of NH, Paula Jordan of Billerica, George W. Jordan & his wife Donna of Worcester, Thomas Jordan of Natick, William Jordan & his wife Wendy of NH, and Jennifer Jordan of Boxborough. Proud grandfather of William Kullman, Daniel Phillips, Joshua, James, Emma and Lindsey Jordan Great Grandfather of Zach & Jake Phillips and Andrew & Lyla Kullman. George was predeceased by 13 brothers and sisters. Visiting hours will be held at the Edward V Sullivan Funeral Home, 43 Winn Street, Burlington (Exit 34 off Rt. 128/95 Woburn side) on Thursday Feb. 22 from 5-8 p.m. Relatives & friends respectfully invited to attend. Burial will be private. In lieu of flowers memorials in George’s name may be made to Doctors Without Borders, PO Box 5030, Hagerstown, MD 21741-5030 donations@newyork.msf.org