Lonnie Jordan

Graveside services are scheduled for 1:00 PM, Thursday, November 5, at Elida Cemtery for Lonnie Martin Jordan of Artesia, New Mexico.

Mr. Jordan, 91, died October 31, 2020 at the Artesia Health Care Facility.

John Hinze and Ty Houghtaling will officiate at the services. Pallbearers will be his grandchildren. Visitation will be at Terpening & Son Mortuary from 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM on Wednesday, November 4th.

Lonnie Martin Jordan was born on March 18, 1929 in Arley, Texas to J.D. and Ethel Kessler Jordan. He grew up on a ranch in northeast Chaves County.

During those years, he attended the one-room Rippee School. Martha Merritt (Derrick) was his teacher while there. One day, Lonnie and his buddies didn’t necessarily want to do their lessons, so they hatched a plan to trick their teacher. Somehow they tied her to a chair and then took off to go swimming in the cow tank. Rumor has it that this was the last straw for Miss Merritt and she decided to quit teaching!

Lonnie also attended Elida High School. While he was a teenager, he played guitar with his dad and his four siblings at many community events.

While Lonnie was dating someone else, he met Roedean, who was competing in a track meet at Portales High School. He proposed on their first date, which was at C&T Auto while they were waiting for a buddy who had gone inside to pick up a part. His buddy’s girlfriend was in the car for the “proposal.” Lonnie and Roedean went on dates to professional wrestling matches, where they watched Gorgeous George, and to rodeos. During their courtship, they wrote letters to each other every day.

Although plans were in the works for Lonnie and Roedean to get married (with the wedding dress already made), they really wanted to wait until he had turned 21. Some friends of Roedean’s parents needed to rent their house to someone while they were out of town for a couple of years and wanted the couple to rent it from them. Roedean’s mother gave her $20 for a wedding and then gave Lonnie another $20 to help move it along even more. When they talked to Lonnie’s parents about it, his dad gave them another $40. They still weren’t sure if they should go ahead, but even their pastor wanted them to move forward with it. They went by the pastor’s house to set up a time and then picked up the maid of honor, Frances, and best man, Andy. They were married on May 13, 1950 at First Baptist Church, Portales. The couple honeymooned in Clovis, staying the night in a ratty motel, had a hamburger and milkshake, and went to see The Outlaw, starring Jane Russell, which was kind of a risque movie during that time.

Lonnie and Roedean started their family in 1951 with their first son and added three daughters and another son by 1961.

Throughout his life, Lonnie worked as a carpenter, a doodlebugger, a wheat harvester, an auto mechanic, a ranch hand, and a janitor. He eventually got a job with Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America, first working in a gasoline plant in Fritch, Texas and then moved to Joliet and Herscher, Illinois to continue moving up. He ended his career as District Measurement Superintendent in Artesia. It was during these years that he received technical training at Iowa State University. Lonnie’s career with Natural Gas spanned 34½ years.

Lonnie was very dedicated to the Lord and was a member of First Baptist Church, Artesia, worked with Campers on Mission of the Baptist Convention of NM (1992-2002), and various other ministry efforts. He worked with Meals on Wheels, built/remodeled churches or missions in New Mexico at the Baptist Children’s Home, Glorieta, Sivell’s, La Mesa, Deming, Shiprock, and Salvation Army in Roswell. He also worked on churches in Provo, UT and Sierra Vista, AZ. He became a deacon at First Baptist in 1982 and he remained active for many years.

Although he enjoyed working with his hands in gardening and in remodeling projects all his life, it wasn’t until Lonnie retired that these things became more of a passion for him. The couple bought a place in Timberon, New Mexico, where they spent countless hours cutting firewood, making improvements to their place, and spending lots of time with their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. He also became more of an avid gardener, experimenting with different planting and grafting techniques. He loved growing tomatoes, and everyone around him loved eating them!

Lonnie is survived by his wife of 70 years, Roedean; daughter, Adeana (Hardy) Carlyle of Taos; daughter, Beth Combs of Artesia; daughter, Marcia (John) Hinze of Tucumcari; and daughters-in-law Judy Jordan and Melissa Jordan, both of Roswell. His grandchildren are Robert (Gabi) Combs; Micki Castillo; Chris (Kimberly) Combs; Adam (Shaunda) Combs; Sarah (Aaron) Henneke; Alyssa (Jason) Anaya; Drew Jordan; Rebecca (Johnathan) Tubbs; Jordan (Kendall) Hinze; and Tyler Jordan. He was also blessed with 13 great-grandchildren:Lauren, Maisy, and Cassidy Combs; Martin Combs; Elizabeth and Ethan Anaya; Atley Hinze; Madelyn and Isaac Castillo; Nicholas, Nathaniel, and Natalie Tubbs; and Ryan Henneke. Preceding him in death are his parents; sisters Lona Cruse and Jeanie Reed, brothers Ralph Jordan and Jerald Jordan; sons Kent Jordan and Bryan Jordan; and son-in-law Bob Combs.

Memorials may be made to the New Mexico Baptist Children’s Home or First Baptist, Artesia Building Fund.