Yvonne Dawn Townsend Jordan

Passed away on Thursday, 5 June 2014 after losing her second fight with cancer. She was born 19 August 1937 in Isleworth, England (London) to William and Bertha Ingham. Her father was in the Royal Navy and the family lost contact with him prior to Yvonne’s birth. At age 16 months her mother pass away leaving her in an orphan status. One of her mother’s sisters took her in and raised her along with seven of her own children who were all much older. In her young childhood, from her home in Hayes, she witness and was a part of the London Blitz. During part of this time she was evacuated into the country side. What she can remember is seeing the fires and the destruction in London from her bedroom window, being cold and hungry all of the time, having to go into the shelters in her backyard or school, those awful gas masks and her brothers and sisters (cousins and siblings) coming home from the war from various overseas places. The shelters were cold, dark, damp and crowded. She had two brothers (real) who were in the Royal Navy. At 18 years of age her aunt (adoptive mother) died and she moved to Luton to live with one of her cousins (adoptive sisters). During this time she was a clerical assistant at the Electrolux and subsequently a Quality Control Inspector at SKF Ball Bearing Ltd. During this period she also met her husband to be A/2C Ross Jordan who was stationed at RAF Chicksands at a fellow airman’s promotion party. They were married on 15 June 1957 in Luton. While still living in England her first son, Wayne, was born. In April 1960 she moved to Scott AFB, IL where her second son, Dale, was born. In July of 1964 she moved with her family to Wiesbaden AFB, Germany. While there she traveled to England, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Luxemburg, and Switzerland. She also worked in the base library for two years. One of her larger jobs was cataloguing all the books from the libraries that closed on the USAF bases in France that were shipped to Wiesbaden AB. While working at the library the wing received a unit citation award which the civilians also earned. In July 1968 Yvonne returned to the states with her family to live in Albuquerque, NM at Sandia Base and then Kirtland AFB. Not long after arriving she got a job at Manzano Base library and in February 1971 received her US citizenship. However, when the bases merged that same year her job went away. Not finding a job that was worth much she decided to go to UNM and study in the Speech Communications Department. She graduated Magna Cum Laude with a degree in Speech Communications in 1976. Other accomplishments were a minor in Library Science, making the Dean’s List and became a member of the Blue Key National Fraternity. She then started working for the Albuquerque Public Schools in the libraries at Acoma and Onate elementary schools. After a few years she decided she wanted to teach first or second grade so she enrolled at the collage of Santa Fe. Here she earned her degree in Elementary Education in 1991. Other accomplishments were making the President’s Honor Roll, the Dean’s List, and becoming a member of Phi Delta Kappa which is a Professional Fraternity in Education. She then taught first and second grade at Sombra Del Monte elementary school until her retirement in 2000. Upon retirement Yvonne was kept very busy keeping the home fires burning and planning many trips to England and later to Hawaii. There were also trips to Canada (1986 World Fair and a few to Toronto to visit a brother and his family) and a number around the US. In all of the places Yvonne lived and worked she was loved and respected by all. With her big eyes, lovely smile, quick wit and English accent you could not help but to admire her. Her students and parents loved her and her way of running her classes. It only took her husband two weeks to decide this is the girl for me and in six months they were married and have been for 57 lovely years. Yvonne will be missed by everyone as she has set a great example for all to follow. Her husband Ross is devastated by the loss and will try his hardest to carry on. Yvonne is survived by her husband Ross; two sons Wayne and Dale; daughter-in-law Sandy; granddaughter Lindsey; her lovely sister Pauline and her husband Arthur, their families and other nieces and nephews in England and the US. Friends my visit Friday, June 13, 2014 from 9:00 a..m. to 9:30 a.m. in the church hall before the service. Funeral Service will be Friday, June 13, 2014, 10:00 a.m. at The Episcopal Cathedral of St. John, 318 Silver Ave SW, Albuquerque, NM 87102. Interment will follow in Santa Fe National Cemetery at 2:15 p.m. Should friends desire, memorial contributions may be made in Yvonne’s name to the Presbyterian Cancer Center, 8300 Constitution Place NE, Bldg. D, Albuquerque, NM 87110.

Yvonne Dawn Townsend Jordan

August 19, 1937 - June 5, 2014