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Obituary for Janice Ouida Jordan
Janice Ouida Jordan was born Feb. 1, 1950 to Ouida Erlene Cook Jordan and William Preston Jordan in Jackson, Mississippi.
She attended Sykes Elementary School, Whitten Junior High School, Provine High School, Wingfield High School, the University of Southern Mississippi, graduating from Millsaps with a BA in Philosophy.
Janice began her employment years with Avis Car Rental at the then Jackson Municipal Airport. Because of her love for books and learning, she was happily employed at the City of Pearl Library for a number of years.
Following her love of all things academic, she worked for many years as administrative assistant of the Core Curriculum and Classical Studies at Millsaps College. She maintained all their records, helped create Core textbooks – all work vital to the success of the Core Curriculum department. As she was a student in the department of Classical Studies, she was initiated into the Classics Honor Society, Eta Sigma Phi. Janice enjoyed helping to organize the Latin banquets, which included a whole pig and other Roman dishes, and even one year with Janice being the featured entertainment with her belly-dancing talent. Janice was a member of the Millsaps Players and performed perfectly in “Moon Over Buffalo '' and other productions. It was while Janice was working at Millsaps that she became joyful friends with her dear Catherine and Brent. They celebrated their birthday lunch every year for over twenty years.
Then her love of art and artists led her to Pearl River Glass Company for her final years of employment. She loved working at PRGS with the young artists and watching their skills make beautiful windows. She so loved seeing the work from its beginning as a sketch to being installed as a finished work of art. She was delighted when she had the opportunity to lead a tour around the studio to show what beauty was being created. Here at PRGS, Janice met Tom and made a life-long friend.
Janice, a huge supporter of the right and causes of women, was active in the Rape Crisis Center in its early years. She promoted the importance of a positive self and body image for women in her years of instructing the art of belly-dancing at both the Continuing Education Program at Millsaps and at her beloved church, St Columb’s Episcopal Church. She said her classes were filled with glorious varieties of “Wo-man-ity.”
Janice loved nothing more than going to the Farmers’ Market for fresh vegetables – especially lady peas - and then coming home and making a feast. Her cornbread and biscuits were perfect every single time, and she made the BEST seafood jambalaya and chicken tetrazzini in the world. Her friends at Hal & Mal’s looked forward to Christmas when Janice would pop in with a huge plate of her chocolate fudge. She loved the Beef & Brochette at Crechale’s, Merlot, and Yuengling.
She liked the Rolling Stones better than the Beatles, enjoyed Mississippi Blues, and loved our-girl, Janis Joplin. She would have loved to have been present at Woodstock. She knew all the words to and performed in “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” in a church production. She knew almost all the words to “Jesus Christ Superstar.”
Janice loved the Lord and her church immensely. She was a member of St Columb’s Episcopal Church for over 50 years. Janice was one of the very first female lay ministers in Mississippi. She loved serving at the altar and reading the liturgy. She headed and served on way too many committees to list.
She is happily reunited in heaven with her parents, her brother William Preston “Billy” Jordan, and her precious pups - Whiskey, Sally, and Lucy.
She leaves behind her daughter Jennifer Holman Gunter and her husband Brad, her son Jack Holman, and grandchildren Annah and William. Her beloved little doxie, Sam and Lily, have found a forever home with Jennifer and Brad.
Janice touched many lives with her intelligence, keen sense of humor, loving nature, and made us all the better for it. She will always be in the hearts of her long-time friends – Buffy (Kathy), Cathy, Tom, Kris, Catherine, Brent, Greg, Paula, and Carolyn.
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