Birth Date: 09/21/2023
Deceased Date: 01/06/1935
Dr. Lyndon Kirkman Jordan, Jr., died September 21, 2023, surrounded by his family and with the prayers of his many friends and countless patients whom he served throughout his life.
Dr. Jordan was born January 6, 1935, in Mount Olive, North Carolina, as the son of the late Lyndon Kirkman Jordan, Sr., and Rachael Hazelton Jordan.
He attended Mount Olive High School in the class of 1953 and subsequently attended Duke University in the class of 1957.
His medical career began with the Duke University School of Medicine class of 1961. His training included an internship at Watts Hospital in Durham and the Dorothea Dix Hospital in Raleigh. He received additional training at Brook Army Hospital in San Antonio, Texas, and served as a Flight Surgeon at Beale Air Force Base in Marysville, California. He received an honorable discharge with commendation in 1964 at which time he entered private medical practice as a family physician in Smithfield, North Carolina, as a Charter Diplomat of the American Board of Family Physicians. His service included Chief of Staff at Johnston Memorial Hospital where he maintained positions on several hospital leadership boards.
After having established his medical practice in Smithfield, Dr. Jordan was active in numerous state and national medical organizations. He was named director of the Duke Family Medicine Program to train family physicians, a program that continues to this day.
He was active in the North Carolina Academy of Family Physicians where he served as president. He became a recognized expert in the management of allergic disease, appointed to the American Medical Association’s Committee on Allergy, and he spoke widely on the topic of allergy at educational conferences across the country.
As health insurance trends were changing in the 1990’s, Dr. Jordan led a consortium of physicians and health system trustees across the Carolinas in the formation of a bistate Health Maintenance Organization supplying affordable health care insurance for employees of hospitals.
Outside of his medical practice, service to others was important to Dr. Jordan. He served as president Rotary Club of Smithfield and was recognized by Rotary International with the Significant Achievement Award for the production of a public service television documentary viewed across the country. As a member of the Board of Directors for the Johnston County Chamber of Commerce, he supported the business development of the community and served as chairman of the Smithfield-Selma High School Advisory Board.
He once said that one of his most rewarding roles was as Scoutmaster of Troop 22 of the Tuscarora Council where he mentored and inspired many of the County’s youth in earning Scouting’s highest rank of Eagle Scout.
A lifelong Episcopalian, he was elected to the Diocesan Council of the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina, taught Sunday classes at Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church in Smithfield and served as Senior Warden.
His professional and civic contributions are recognized in Marquis’ Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in Medical Care and Who’s Who in Business in America. His ”pocket full of nickels” approach to calm sick or frightened pediatric patients earned him the Tarheel of the Week award.
Despite his accomplished life and career, he often said his greatest honors were his family and his marriage to the love of his life, Beverly Brooks Jordan, his wife of 53 years until her passing in 2014.
He is survived by his sons Lyndon Kirkman Jordan III (Laurie), Christopher Page Jordan (Andrea), Patrick Brooks Jordan (Colleen), and his four grandchildren Camden Brooks Jordan, Lyndon Kirkman Jordan IV, Connor Brooks Jordan, and Madeline Gail Jordan.
A funeral service will be held 2:00pm on Wednesday, September 27, at Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church at 218 South Second Street in Smithfield. A Visitation & Celebration of Life will follow at 4:30-6:30pm that afternoon at 105 Mariah Drive, Four Oaks.
In lieu of flowers, please consider supporting Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church, 218 South Second Street, Smithfield, NC 27577 or the Johnston Health Foundation, PO Box 1376, Smithfield, NC 27577.
Online condolences may be expressed to the family at Parrishfh.com
