William "Bill" Jordan

William "Bill" Robert Jordan, of Detroit Lakes, MN, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family after a battle with lymphoma on May 15, 2024. A funeral will be held on Sunday May 19, 2024, at Detroit Lakes United Methodist Church - visitation at 3 PM followed by a service at 4 PM.  

Bill was born on September 14, 1949 in Fargo, ND, to William C. Jordan and Alice Jordan (nee Eggert). He grew up with his 3 siblings on 8th Street in Fargo, spending summers on the shores of Lake Melissa at their family cabin, and developed lifelong friends from his adventures there. He achieved Eagle Scout after years of scouting and forever embodied that independent and can-do ethos. He attended Clara Barton Elementary School, Central High School, Wahpeton School of Science, and North Dakota State University, and served as a medic in the US Army Reserve.

The beauty of Lake Melissa inspired him to build a life on its southern shores. As a young man he bought 40 acres adjacent to his parents' cabin, and there he built his home in 1979. Improving and perfecting the grounds of "Melissa Meadows" was a lifelong passion, and Bill could often be found tending to the gardens, mowing the lawns, and clearing the woodland trails for the enjoyment of family and friends.

True to his passion for the Lake, he worked as a realtor specializing in lake homes on Lake Sallie and Melissa. He was also an eclectic businessman - he had multiple ventures including his Fire Extinguisher business in Fargo, the 65-passenger “Island Girl” excursion charter boat on Big and Little Detroit Lake, and his pumpkin patch.

He was also a stalwart of the community, serving for 40 years on the Lake View Township board and the Pelican River Watershed District board, and serving on multiple committees at Detroit Lakes United Methodist Church. His community legacy extends throughout the Lakes Region, including bike paths, cleanup week, water quality improvements, recycling initiatives, and summer flag displays along South Melissa Drive.

He was creative and thoughtful, always working on projects and solving problems, tinkering, creating, and learning. He was an accomplished woodworker and his handiwork ranged from the "Melissa Meadows" welcome sign along the lake, to multiple heirloom pieces, to the friendly wooden "Butlers" that lend their services to thirsty household guests. His trails still echo with the laughter of his grand-children and the whoosh of cross-country skiers in winter. He helped maintain a fleet of beloved family boats on Lake Melissa, including the restored 1980 Viking and the ElectraCraft (Knot a Yot). He was a helpful, resourceful, and dependable neighbor in all seasons.

Most of all he was a proud father, husband, and family man. He and Diane were married 38 years. He was her biggest fan, enjoying nothing more than watching her perform or leading her various concerts and choirs. For his children he always helped with homework and science projects, and occasionally visited school unannounced to ensure a proper scholastic enthusiasm. He recently had the honor of calling his son, neighbor. He had immense pride in the accomplishments of his wife, son, and two daughters - gifts of gold-dipped roses accompanied major life achievements, and these now hold a special place in his daughters' collections.

He maintained close ties as his children grew and established their own lives, with frequent phone calls, visits, and thoughtful solutions to life's problems. He was never happier than on holidays or summer weekends when his children could gather once again under his roof. Those moments - with his family reunited, on the lake that he loved, on the grounds that he spent a lifetime perfecting - were what he cultivated and cherished above all.

Bill is survived by his wife, Diane, brothers Noel (Carol) and Mark (Brenda), children, Billy (Stephanie) Jordan, Tori (Eric) Rohman, and Libby Jordan, and grandchildren, Spencer, Grace, Bjorn, and Madeline. He is preceded in death by his parents and sister Cynthy (Dave) Clausnitzer.

In lieu of flowers, please direct memorials to: Lake View Township, c/o Park Fund. PO Box 69. Detroit Lakes MN 56502.

If you are unable to attend, the service will be live streamed at 4 PM CST https://www.dlumc.org/watch-live