Billy Dean Jordan

Billy Dean Jordan, age 84.

Billy Dean Jordan was born to Hubert L. and Desma E. Jordan in Dacula, GA. He was preceded in death by his father, mother, brother, Hubert, Jr. He is survived by his wife, Sharon Ishii-Jordan; sons: Michael, Scott, and Miles; daughter, Briana; granddaughter, Stella (the special delight of his life); brother, Floyd.

Born and raised in Dacula and Lilburn, GA, he graduated from Lilburn High School, served in the U.S. Air Force for four years stationed in Sacramento and New Jersey, attended a business school, and later worked for Lithonia Lighting in Georgia. Bill had two sons with his first wife before the family moved to Omaha, where he became a partner in Central Sales commercial & industrial lighting. He made many friends in his decades in the lighting industry and was known for his integrity, friendliness, and was humorously kidded for wearing clogs or a braid.

Bill met Sharon at her relatives’ Mt. Fuji Inn restaurant and Mai Tai lounge where she worked part-time while teaching. They married in 1982, traveled the world, and raised a, daughter and son in Omaha. Bill was such an avid reader, that he decided he wanted a college degree. So, he attended UNO part-time while working and graduated with his bachelor’s degree in history and real estate in his mid-fifties. After he sold his business to a partner, Bill became a stay-at-home dad and loved doing a lot of volunteer work at his children’s school while selling real estate.

Although not Catholic, he believed a family should attend church together, so he sat with the family every week in Masses. After several years, he asked Sharon to be his sponsor when he chose to be baptized and join the Catholic Church. He found his volunteer niche in taking groceries every week for the pantry and in driving the evening meal food donations from St. Leo the Great Catholic Church to the Siena Francis House. His generosity extended to family and friends as well. Bill fell in love with the foothills of the Himalayas in Northeast India when he accompanied Sharon where she did teacher training, and they welcomed into their home host-daughter, Margaret to study advanced English at Creighton for 6 months, and a few years later hosted her sister, Celine for 3 years while she attended Mercy High. Years later, Margaret named her son, Jordan after her American “daddy”.

Bill loved travelling, making it to all seven continents and fifty states, finding joy in meeting new people and experiencing different cultures. His final international trip was in Oct-Nov 2024 to Japan, again. Always active, Bill bricked his house, built decks, put in a retaining wall, dug Sharon’s gardens, skied annually, jumped off waterfalls (but not out of planes), and kayaked. His music choices were country, Irish, and folk, and he admired anyone who could play an instrument, especially his sons! However, even more than traveling, reading, and music, Bill loved his family beyond measure and would do anything for them. He is loved deeply and will be missed tremendously. In the words of a favorite Irish song “Dance, dance wherever you may be, I am the Lord of the dance said He, and I’ll lead you all wherever you may be, and I’ll lead you all in the dance, said He”.

VISITATION: Thursday, June 5, 2025, from 5:00PM to 7:00PM at the West Center Chapel, followed by a VIGIL SERVICE at 7:00PM.

MASS OF CHRISTIAN BURIAL: Friday, June 6th at 10:00 AM at St. Leo the Great Catholic Church, 1920 N. 102nd St., Omaha.

INTERMENT: Calvary Cemetery.

Memorials are suggested to American Red Cross and Nebraska Public Media.

To view live broadcasts of the Vigil Service and Mass, please visit www.heafeyheafey.com and click the “Live Cast” button at the top of the home page.

Heafey-Hoffmann-Dworak-Cutler, West Center Chapel, 7805 West Center Road, Omaha, Ne 68124. (402)-391-3900. www.heafeyheafey.com