Swampscott — Keith Leslie Jordan, age 100, formerly of Swampscott, devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, coach and principal, died peacefully, surrounded by his family, on Sunday, October 7, 2012. He was the beloved husband of the late Madeline Estelle (Doten) Jordan. He and his wife were Pioneer Residents of Brooksby Village in Peabody. Born in Sebago Lake Village, Maine, he was the son of the late Leslie and Grace (Ingalls) Jordan.
Keith was a graduate of Portland High School, where he played five sports and earned 14 varsity letters. He also attended Hebron Academy and MCI. Keith graduated from Gorham State Teachers College, now the University of Southern Maine, where he was the star pitcher and hitter. He also played semi-professional baseball for eight years, at one point playing on the same field with Babe Ruth. Recently he was honored by the Boston Red Sox at Fan Appreciation Day at Fenway Park. Keith was also a member of the Army Air Forces Aircraft Warning Service Reserve.
Greatly respected and admired as a coach and administrator, Keith’s career took him from Rangeley, Portland and South Portland, Maine, to Swampscott, Mass., where he retired after 43 years as a school administrator. He was Principal at the Hadley Elementary/Junior High School and the Shaw Junior High School for 34 years. He was also the Swampscott High School Varsity Baseball Coach for five years, winning two State Championships, and was named Coach of the Year. Keith received four Hall of Fame inductions: Maine State Baseball Hall of Fame, Swampscott High School Athletic Hall of Fame, Portland Maine High School Hall of Fame, and the University of Southern Maine Husky Hall of Fame, where he was the first person inducted.
Keith was also very active in the Swampscott community. He was a member of the Swampscott Rotary for 54 years and of the local Masonic Order for 66 years; being the oldest living member of both organizations. For over 60 years he was a member of the First Church at Swampscott Congregational where he and his wife were founding members of the 50-50 Club and members of the Double or Nothing Couples Club. He also served as Swampscott’s Park and Playground Director, Library Trustee, Director of the Historical Society, and co-chair of the Centennial Celebration Committee in 1952. Keith enjoyed family holidays, playing golf, gardening, watching sports, travel, and summers spent at the cabin in Naples, Maine.
He is survived by his three children, Bruce Jordan and his wife Sandra of Danvers, Ann Bruhn of Arlington, and Judy Aikman and her husband Paul of Hilton Head, S.C., as well as his sister June (Jordan) Jensen of Fla. In addition, he lives on through his seven grandchildren, Craig, Michael, Keith, Jennifer, Rebecca, Kristin, and Alyssa, and their spouses, Norma, Linda, Jennifer, Kenny, and Chesley. Keith also leaves ten great-grandchildren; Hannah, Grace, Aiden, Abigail, Reese, Caleb, Ella Grace, Violet, Eden, and Reid, and a great-grandson-to-be, Keith Jordan Aikman. He was the father-in-law of the late Richard Bruhn.
ARRANGEMENTS: At the request of the family, a private funeral was held in the Solimine, Landergan and Richardson Funeral Home, 67 Ocean St. (Rte. 1A), Lynn, followed by interment in Swampscott Cemetery. Gifts in Keith’s memory may be made to the Keith L. Jordan Swampscott Memorial Scholarship Fund, in care of Ann Jordan Bruhn, 32 Appleton St., Arlington, MA 02476 or First Church in Swampscott, Congregational, 40 Monument Ave, Swampscott, MA 01907. Guest book at www.solimine.com
