Susan Ann Tarter Jordan

February 5, 1955 - November 23, 2016

Susan (Sue) Ann Tarter Jordan, 61, died November 23 at Dennis and Donna Oldorf Hospice House of Mercy in Hiawatha, IA after a three-year battle with cancer. She has been a resident of Central City, IA for the last 4 years and lived in Cedar Falls, IA for the 31 years before that. She is survived by her husband, Philip, daughters, Elizabeth Anne Jordan Etchells (Ross), West Des Moines, IA; Catherine Teresa Jordan McCarthy (Sean), St. Louis, MO; surrogate children: Jaqueline and Gleidson Gouveia, Iowa City, IA, Lindsay and Mark Doeden, Cedar Falls, IA; mother, Luralene Engeling Tarter, Vandalia, IL; siblings, William Rodell Tarter, Jr. (Barb), Edwardsville, IL; Diane Straub (Randy), Vandalia, IL; Stephen Tarter (Beth), Vandalia, IL, David Tarter (Kim), Alhambra, IL, Mark Tarter (Lori), Sigel, IL, Jim Tarter (Sheila), Belleville, IL, Kathy Ehrat (Todd), Savoy, IL; Jeff Tarter (Melinda), St. Peter, MO; 26 nieces and nephews, and 15 great nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her father, William Rodell Tarter, grandparents – John and Ora Engeling and Gerald and Margaret Tarter and her beloved dog, Maggie. Sue was born Feb. 5, 1955 in Pana, IL, the second child and first daughter of William Rodell and Lura Tarter. Her birth marked the first girl born into the Tarter family in 89 years. Sue was a 1973 graduate of Vandalia High School, and was active in numerous student organizations and activities, especially yearbook and choir. She served as editor-in-chief of the Vandalois yearbook and was a member of the Special Chorus her senior year. She married Philip Jordan of Tuscola on August 7, 1976 at St. John’s Catholic Chapel in the Newman Center on the campus of The University of Illinois in Urbana. Sue graduated from The University of Illinois the following year. Sue worked at the University of Northern Iowa for 17 years and especially enjoyed working with the students. She enjoyed counted cross-stitching, gardening, cooking, and travel in her leisure time. A Memorial Mass will be held at Mother of Dolors Catholic Church, 322 N. 7th Street, Vandalia, IL at 11:00 am on Saturday December 10, 2016. A Celebration of Life Memorial will be held at the University of Northern Iowa Commons later in the spring 2017. Memorials should be directed to the Sue Jordan Family Medical Memorial Fund/AFSCME 2659, Hospice of Mercy Cedar Rapids or the family.