Mrs. Mary Alice Brim Jordan, age 102, of Sandersville passed away on Tuesday, April 11, 2023, in the comfort of her home departing for the joys of heaven. A funeral service to celebrate her life will be held on Friday, April 14th at 1:00 P.M. in the First Baptist Church of Sandersville with burial in Brownwood Cemetery of Sandersville. Reverend Lee Lacey will officiate. Pallbearers will be David Brooker, Mel Daniel, Mack Flemister, Mark Harvey, Allen Hodges, Zack Webb, Bob West, and Mark West. Honorary Pallbearers will be Chip Gilbert, Jeffery Mountain, members of the Transylvania Club of Sandersville, and members of the Pilot Club of Washington County. The family will receive friends at the Jordan residence on South Harris Street in Sandersville on Thursday, April 13th from 5:00 P.M. until 7:00 P.M.
Mrs. Jordan was born in Sasser, Georgia on September 27, 1920, one of six children to the late John Dennis Brim and the late Julia Elizabeth “Bessie” Hill Brim. She relocated to Sandersville in 1946 for work as Librarian and English Teacher at the Sandersville High School. Mary Alice married the late Newton Marion “Buddy” Jordan, Jr. in 1948 and operated Buddy Jordan Florist as a Floral Designer until retirement. Mrs. Jordan was passionate about civic and community activities, sponsoring the Drama Club at Sandersville High School. She was an active founding member of the Sandersville Historical Society and edited the first comprehensive history book of Washington County, Georgia, “Cotton to Kaolin.” Mary Alice was also an integral member of the Washington County Genealogy Research Center and helped to restore the Brown House Museum. She served as President and Historian of the Transylvania Club of Sandersville and was a leading participant in the effort to name the Transylvania Club’s Georgia Plates as the official historical plate of the state. Mrs. Jordan hosted Sam and Helen Walton, founders of Walmart, for lunch at her home on South Harris Street in 1988 following the opening of the Sandersville Walmart. She was named the 1989 Washington County “Citizen of the Year” by the Sandersville Rotary Club, won the 2001 Governor’s Award for Humanities, received the 2002 “Volunteer of the Year” from the Georgia Association of Museums and Galleries, was named the 2007 Grand Marshall of the Kaolin Parade, earned the 2009 Georgia Trust Historic Restoration Award, and was handed the 2010 Pilot International Founders Sweetheart from the Pilot Club of Washington County. Mrs. Jordan was a former President of the Washington County Chamber of Commerce. She was a devout member of the First Baptist Church of Sandersville, taught Sunday School for over fifty years, served on the FBC Building Committee. More important to her than any accomplishment, Mary Alice was determined to serve as a loving friend to all – inspiring a life-long desire to learn, preserve history, stay curious, and always have a good joke on hand.
In addition to her husband, she is preceded in death by her son, Charles Henry Jordan; brothers, Joe Brim, Jene Brim, and Henry Brim; and half-sisters, Christine Olsen and Bernice Culpepper.
Mary Alice is survived by her daughter, Mary Susan Bell and husband Tom; daughter-in-law, Cheryl Hartley Jordan; grandchildren, Aaron Michael Clements and wife Sarah, Matthew Charles Clements, Shannon Etheridge Whitten, Mary Rebecca Etheridge, Elizabeth Jordan Haines and husband Sean, Virginia Jordan Haake and husband Richard, and Mary Charles Howard and husband Keenan; and great-grandchildren, Kaylee Nicole Clements, Aaron Jordan Clements, Charley Rose Pulver, Caroline Olivia Clements, Sarah Catherine Clements, Will Marsh Whitten, Mary Elizabeth Etheridge-Walton, Charles Brittin Haines, Thomas Jordan Haines, Richard Bowman Haake, Henry Richard Howard, Ruth Bright Howard, and Charles Hartley Howard.
The family would like to express their sincere gratitude and love to Mrs. Jordan’s caregivers, Minnie Mountain, Jeffrey Mountain, and Jenise Miller; Dr. Mark Harvey; and the University Home Healthcare hospice workers for the professional medical service and care.
Donations may be made to the Washington County Historical Society, P.O. Box 6088, Sandersville, Georgia 31082.
Online condolences may be expressed at mayandsmithfuneraldirectors.com.
May and Smith Funeral Directors is in charge of these arrangements.