May
11, 1929 - Aug. 28, 2009ELKHART, IN - The communities of Elkhart and South Bend have lost a valuable community member, businessman, family man, friend, neighbor, philanthropist, and member of the Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer. Gunther W. Jordan was born in Munich, Germany, on May 11th, 1929. He grew up during very tough times in the world, but especially in Germany. He was raised by his mother after his father passed away while Gunther was just five years old. He lived through the war, enduring bombing raids, and knowing what it was like to go hungry. This life experience and humble beginnings resulted in him never taking anything for granted and being grateful for any blessings he received. In 1965 Mr. Jordan married Barbara A. (Hauttmann). They were married for almost 44 years and she was the love of his life. They have three children whom he was very proud of, Andreas (Andy) C. Jordan and his wife, Cheryl (Jacobs), Daniela M. Larson and her husband, Donald, and Matthias (Matt) W. Jordan and his wife, Stacy (Hughes). He also has a daughter, Renate Jordan, living in Germany. His children have blessed him with nine grandchildren. They are Lucas, Simon, Christopher, Emily, Joshua, Annika, Elizabeth, Donald Jr. and Marissa. Mr. Jordan began his professional career in Sales and Marketing for the German company Carl Zeiss, a manufacturer and distributor of fine mechanical and optical equipment. His position at Carl Zeiss included a four-year assignment in the United States working in Manhattan and then in Morristown, NJ. Later he became Sales Director for the export business at Carl Zeiss. After his career with Zeiss, Mr. Jordan joined a German group of companies, PFEIFER Seil & Hebetechnik GMBH, a leading European manufacturer of cable and hoist technologies, as Managing Director. The four years Mr. Jordan spent in the late 60s and early 70s living and working in the United States fostered a love for this country that would ultimately draw him back. In 1985 he was approached by AL-KO Kober, a German company, to start and head a North American division as president. Mr. Jordan jumped at this opportunity and quickly moved his family to Elkhart, IN. After his contract expired, the Jordans decided they wanted to remain in this great country. On January 1st, 1989, they purchased EXACTO, Inc. of South Bend, a precision manufacturing facility. Through hard work and dedication the Jordans grew EXACTO into a well-respected company, supplying customers both domestically and internationally. In 2007 EXACTO received the Small Business of the year award from the St. Joseph County Chamber of Commerce. This was one of Mr. Jordan's proudest achievements. Mr. and Mrs. Jordan were the benefactors for the International Center at Indiana University of South Bend. Their desire was to give back to the community that gave them so much and to make international students feel like they have a home away from home. Today the International Center also houses the Center for a Sustainable Future. In recognition of their work for international students, the Jordans were the first recipients of the Distinguished International Service Award from Indiana University Bloomington. Both in his professional and personal life, Gunther always put everyone ahead of his own needs. He loved his family, his friends, his extended family of employees, both past and present, and all the people he met along the way. Mr. Jordan was a hard-working man who realized that the American Dream is still alive, if you are willing to work for it. Even at 80 years old he was still active in the business he loved. Mr. Jordan's work didn't leave much free time for vacations and travel. But he immensely enjoyed his summer weekends, or "mini-vacations" as he called them, on his motor yacht on Lake Michigan. Mr. Jordan was an avid yachtsman for the past 23 years and a member of the New Buffalo Yacht Club. For the past 5 years he was a member of the Lake Michigan Yacht Club and was rarely seen without his LMYC hat. The thing Mr. Jordan valued and loved most was his family. He would tell stories of his travels and adventures while being surrounded by family and friends. Wherever he was, he was usually the center of attention. Mr. Jordan also had a passion for the arts and very much liked his visits to the Art Institute of Chicago. His other interests included listening to music, especially classical. He also had an extensive collection of rare cacti, succulents, and caudiciforms, totaling over 240 specimens. Mr. Jordan also held a special place in his heart for animals, especially all the doggies in the world. Since 1991 Mr. Jordan suffered from a severe heart condition. In 2008 he heard about a stem cell procedure utilizing stem cells from his own blood to regenerate his heart muscle and improve blood flow. At the time, this procedure was only available in Bangkok, Thailand. After much consideration and meeting with a patient who received the same treatment, his wife and son Matt accompanied him on the Journey of a Lifetime to Bangkok. The trip included stays in Mr. Jordan's native and beloved hometown of Munich. The stem cell treatment in Bangkok was very successful and Gunther was able to enjoy another year of life. The trip also gave him an arsenal of new stories to tell. In recent months, however, he developed another health problem, which made him weak until his heart finally gave out on Friday afternoon, surrounded by his wife, his two sons and their respective wives. The family wishes to thank his Cardiologist, Naseer Nasser, M.D., for his compassionate care and the wonderful team of nurses at Saint Joseph's Regional Medical Center in South Bend. During his work career Mr. Jordan traveled to over 45 different countries, undoubtedly touching many lives and making many great connections along the way. Many of his business travels were to Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. Mr. Jordan was always known for his humble nature and caring compassion for all human kind. To Gunther, it didn't matter who you were, he always treated everyone the way he wanted to be treated. He enjoyed the simple things in life and the beauty in nature. Everywhere he went he was known as a true gentleman. Mr. Jordan would want to be remembered not with sadness, but with joy for a full life lived and his commitment to never giving up. Friends may call Thursday from 4-8 p.m. at McGann Hay Funerals | Cremations | Gatherings, Granger Chapel, 13260 SR 23 (enter off Cherry Road), Granger. Funeral services are planned for 1:00 p.m. Friday in the funeral home. Cremation to follow. The family requests that, instead of flowers, donations be made in Gunther W. Jordan's name to the American Heart Association , the Humane Society of your choice, or to the Midwest Museum of American Art in Elkhart, IN. For our European family and friends, donations may be made to the German Heart Centre of the Technical University Munich for their work on Stem Cell Research for the Heart, Lazarettstrasse 36 D-80636, Munich. To send condolences to the family or for directions, log on to www.mcgannhay.com.