Katherine Chavis Jordan was born Jan. 19, 1949, the daughter of the late Herman Earley Chavis Jr. and Sallie Bizelle Weaver Chavis, in Winton, NC. The family settled in Portsmouth, VA, when she was 2 years old. She was educated in the parochial and public schools of Portsmouth and graduated 10th out of 250 students from I. C. Norcom High School’s class of 1966.
Katherine was very active in her high school and participated in activities such as the Future Business Leaders of America, serving as president and secretary; a member of the Math Club; and a member of the French Club. She was inducted into the National Honor Society in her junior year, which is an accomplishment she took pride in.
Upon graduation from high school, Katherine, who was always ambitious, had her eyes set upon furthering her education. With this thought in mind, she entered the University of Cincinnati in August 1966 and graduated in June 1970 with a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree with a concentration in accounting. While attending the University of Cincinnati, she maintained her desire to obtain education in all aspects her life, including involving herself in extracurricular activities that would allow her to grow and mature into a fine young woman.
In 1970, after her graduation from college, Katherine set out to “conquer the world.” Her employment with a local hospital was not her life’s ambition. She began searching for that perfect opportunity in the corporate world. Among those positions she held were accountant for KDI Corporation, cost accountant for Schenley Distilleries, accountant for Formica Corporation, and tax accountant at Clayton L. Scroggins & Associates, a management firm for the medical profession.
It wasn’t until she Married Donald H. Jordan Sr. that she was introduced to the funeral profession. Katherine became involved in her husband’s business as a “do-it -all individual.” She became a licensed funeral director for the state of Ohio in May 1981. Having taken on the responsibility of the financial operations, she and her husband took the organization to a level not previously experienced. Donald and Katherine have enjoyed many years working side by side, struggling through good times and bad times, building a chain of funeral homes that have become a place where families are served to the highest standards and with the utmost care and dignity to which they are entitled. It has always been the desire and the need of Thompson, Hall & Jordan Funeral Homes to provide the communities and families it serves the best in all aspects of funeral service.
Katherine has also found time to serve on many church and civic organizations, including membership in the Allen Temple African Methodist Episcopal Church, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, and the board of the Cincinnati Scholarship Foundation. She is a former board member of the YMCA located in Woodlawn, OH. She is also a member of many professional organizations, including the Ohio Funeral Directors Association, the National Funeral Directors Association, the Buckeye State Funeral Directors Association, and the National Funeral Directors and Morticians Association. In 1997, she was included in the 1997/1998 “Who’s Who” among America’s executives. Katherine has been regarded among her peers as a highly respected professional in her field. She was awarded the Woman of the Year for excellent performance in the field of Mortuary Science in June 1991 by the District IV, national Funeral Directors and Morticians Association.
Donald and Katherine are the parents of three children — Phillip, Kevin, and Donald Jr. — and they have six grandchildren. They are proud of them all.