Barbara Warthen Jordan

In the early morning hours of Thursday, June 22, 2023, Mrs. Barbara Warthen Jordan of Sandersville passed away at her residence on North Harris Street following an extended illness. She passed away peacefully in her sleep, surrounded by her beloved husband and children. A memorial service for Mrs. Jordan will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday, July 1 at Grace Episcopal Church in Sandersville. Lay-Leader, Linda Cowan, will officiate. The family will receive friends in the fellowship hall following the service.

Barbara Loraine Warthen Jordan was born on April 27, 1956, the daughter of Jeanette and Reverend W. B. (Billy) Warthen, Jr. Her maternal Grandparents were Reba and German Moats, and her paternal Grandparents were Christine and Dr. William Benjamin Francis Warthen M.D.

Affectionately known as Bar to her family and friends, Mrs. Jordan was a beloved homemaker who always fiercely supported her family and those she loved. An excellent arbiter of taste and style, she always knew how to put together an outfit, decorate a room, or set a table. She was an accomplished artist who made drawings, paintings, and prints. Bar was also an excellent cook, who was known far and wide for her “Magnolia Marinade” barbecue sauce, her chili, and her Kaolin Parade parties. In addition to being a gracious hostess, Bar had an innate ability to easily converse with a diverse group of people, be they a future president like Jimmy Carter or a bagger at the grocery store. This gift of communication was a skill that she said she learned by “growing up as a preacher’s kid.”

As part of this ability to communicate, Bar was also a great storyteller. She loved to collect and tell stories about her family history, many including her much beloved Daddy, and her grandparents, who, along with Elizabeth and Jesse Newsom, were deeply involved in the movement toward the preservation and documentation of the history of Washington County. For many years, Bar was herself very active in this endeavor. She spent several years working closely with Elizabeth Newsom as an original member of the Washington County Historical Society’s Genealogy Committee. She went on to participate in countless activities in both the Historical Society and the larger community.

During these years, for instance, Bar organized a reception for, and an exhibition of works by the well known artist, Stan Strickland. Then president of the Historical Society, Osgood Bateman, referred to this event, which had been “under the capable direction of Barbara Jordan,” as being both “a great success” and “an important event in the cultural life of Washington County.” In later years Bar was a great supporter of the Fine Arts Programs, including the Theatre, Dance, and Band programs in the Washington County School System. She also served as a docent at the home of Jo and Frank Cummimgs during several historic tour of homes events. Recently, Bar twice participated in the Sandersville Old City Cemetery Lantern Tour, presenting historical information about her Great Aunt, Sue Warthen Chamlee, and her cousin, Louise Evans.

As was said of Robert Kennedy, whom Bar greatly admired, “[s]he gave us strength in time of trouble, wisdom in time of uncertainty, and sharing in time of happiness. [S]he will always be by our side. Love is not an easy feeling to put into words. Nor is loyalty, or trust or joy. But [s]he was all of these. [S]he loved life completely and lived it intensely.”

Barbara Warthen Jordan is survived by her husband, Thomas Bryant (Tommy) Jordan, Jr. of Sandersville; children, Thomas Bryant Jordan III and Elizabeth C. Jordan (Adam Martin) of Sandersville; sister, Jackie Warthen Holton; and brother, William G.(Bill) Warthen, as well as extended family members, including her nieces, nephews and cousins.

The Jordan family would like to thank Layne Kitchens for her kindness and care as well as her local caregivers from Agape Hospice.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to the Washington County Historical Society, P.O. Box 6088, Sandersville, GA. 31082 and to Grace Episcopal Church PO Box 771 Sandersville GA 31082 in her memory.

This is a courtesy of May & Smith Funeral Directors of Sandersville, Ga.