Orchid I. Jordan, a longtime Missouri state representative and widow of Freedom Inc. co-founder Leon M. Jordan, died Christmas day at Trinity Lutheran Hospital. She was 85.
"It was a great loss, of course," said state Rep. Mary Groves Bland, who served six years in the legislature with Jordan.
"She had lived a long, good life. She had a lot of power on the floor," Bland said. "She didn't talk a lot, but whenever she moved and asked for something she got it. She was a great service to her community."
Jordan served in the General Assembly for 16 years, being first elected as the Democratic candidate to replace her husband three weeks after he was murdered in July 1970 outside his tavern. The Republicans did not field a candidate.
Leon Jordan was a crusader for the rights of black voters.
Freedom Inc. grew from efforts by Jordan, Bruce Watkins Sr. and other black leaders to stop white political power brokers from taking black votes for granted.
When she filed for her husband's office, Jordan said she wanted "to do everything I can to make Leon's dream of dignity, equality, justice and freedom a reality."
Jordan was a charter member of Freedom, which now is an influential political club whose support is sought by most candidates regardless of race. It was a force behind the elections of Kansas City's first black congressman, Alan Wheat, and first black mayor, Emanuel Cleaver.
Jordan was born in Clay Center, Kan., and graduated from Wilberforce University in Ohio.
She was a life member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and a member of the Urban League and the Kansas City Council on Crime Prevention. Jordan was a co-chairwoman of the Greater Kansas City Citizens for Humphrey-Muskie Committee. She was active in Links Inc., a national women's organization dedicated to civic and cultural activities.
In the early 1960s Jordan opened a pioneering shop that concentrated on African and other ethnic art objects. The Jordans went to Africa in 1947, setting up a fingerprinting bureau in Liberia. She later helped her husband operate his business in Kansas City.
Jordan consistently was re-elected to her House seat by wide margins. She once was chided by a challenger for her low profile in the statehouse. She responded: "I just go along in my own quiet way and do what I'm supposed to do, and get things done."
Jordan regularly sponsored legislation to continue a sales tax to finance the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority.
State Sen. Phillip B. Curls Sr., who served for a decade in the House with Jordan, once described her as "a lovely lady, always stable and steady."
Jordan was greeted with a standing ovation on the floor of the House in 1986 when she announced her intention to retire.
Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at Watkins Brothers Memorial Chapel, 4000 E. Brush Creek Blvd. Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at St. Augustine's Episcopal Church, 2732 Benton Blvd. Interment will be at Mount Olivet Cemetery, 7601 Blue Ridge Blvd.
Published in the December 27, 1995 edition of the Kansas City (MO) STAR
1920 United States Federal Census
Name: Orchd Ramsey
Age: 10
Birth Year: 1910
Birthplace: Kansas
Home in 1920: Clay Center, Clay, Kansas
Street: Mc Bretney Street
Residence Date: 1920
Race: Black
Gender: Female
Relation to Head of House: Daughter
Marital Status: Single
Father's Name: Maraman Ramsey
Father's Birthplace: Kansas
Mother's Name: Maud Ramsey
Mother's Birthplace: Nebraska
Able to Speak English: Yes
Attended School: yes
Able to read: Yes
Able to Write: Yes
Household Members: Name Age
Maraman Ramsey 40
Maud Ramsey 36
Harvey Ramsey 14
Florence Ramsey 12
Orchd Ramsey 10
"It was a great loss, of course," said state Rep. Mary Groves Bland, who served six years in the legislature with Jordan.
"She had lived a long, good life. She had a lot of power on the floor," Bland said. "She didn't talk a lot, but whenever she moved and asked for something she got it. She was a great service to her community."
Jordan served in the General Assembly for 16 years, being first elected as the Democratic candidate to replace her husband three weeks after he was murdered in July 1970 outside his tavern. The Republicans did not field a candidate.
Leon Jordan was a crusader for the rights of black voters.
Freedom Inc. grew from efforts by Jordan, Bruce Watkins Sr. and other black leaders to stop white political power brokers from taking black votes for granted.
When she filed for her husband's office, Jordan said she wanted "to do everything I can to make Leon's dream of dignity, equality, justice and freedom a reality."
Jordan was a charter member of Freedom, which now is an influential political club whose support is sought by most candidates regardless of race. It was a force behind the elections of Kansas City's first black congressman, Alan Wheat, and first black mayor, Emanuel Cleaver.
Jordan was born in Clay Center, Kan., and graduated from Wilberforce University in Ohio.
She was a life member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and a member of the Urban League and the Kansas City Council on Crime Prevention. Jordan was a co-chairwoman of the Greater Kansas City Citizens for Humphrey-Muskie Committee. She was active in Links Inc., a national women's organization dedicated to civic and cultural activities.
In the early 1960s Jordan opened a pioneering shop that concentrated on African and other ethnic art objects. The Jordans went to Africa in 1947, setting up a fingerprinting bureau in Liberia. She later helped her husband operate his business in Kansas City.
Jordan consistently was re-elected to her House seat by wide margins. She once was chided by a challenger for her low profile in the statehouse. She responded: "I just go along in my own quiet way and do what I'm supposed to do, and get things done."
Jordan regularly sponsored legislation to continue a sales tax to finance the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority.
State Sen. Phillip B. Curls Sr., who served for a decade in the House with Jordan, once described her as "a lovely lady, always stable and steady."
Jordan was greeted with a standing ovation on the floor of the House in 1986 when she announced her intention to retire.
Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at Watkins Brothers Memorial Chapel, 4000 E. Brush Creek Blvd. Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at St. Augustine's Episcopal Church, 2732 Benton Blvd. Interment will be at Mount Olivet Cemetery, 7601 Blue Ridge Blvd.
Published in the December 27, 1995 edition of the Kansas City (MO) STAR
1920 United States Federal Census
Name: Orchd Ramsey
Age: 10
Birth Year: 1910
Birthplace: Kansas
Home in 1920: Clay Center, Clay, Kansas
Street: Mc Bretney Street
Residence Date: 1920
Race: Black
Gender: Female
Relation to Head of House: Daughter
Marital Status: Single
Father's Name: Maraman Ramsey
Father's Birthplace: Kansas
Mother's Name: Maud Ramsey
Mother's Birthplace: Nebraska
Able to Speak English: Yes
Attended School: yes
Able to read: Yes
Able to Write: Yes
Household Members: Name Age
Maraman Ramsey 40
Maud Ramsey 36
Harvey Ramsey 14
Florence Ramsey 12
Orchd Ramsey 10
Orchid I. Jordan, a longtime Missouri state representative and widow of Freedom Inc. co-founder Leon M. Jordan, died Christmas day at Trinity Lutheran Hospital. She was 85.
"It was a great loss, of course," said state Rep. Mary Groves Bland, who served six years in the legislature with Jordan.
"She had lived a long, good life. She had a lot of power on the floor," Bland said. "She didn't talk a lot, but whenever she moved and asked for something she got it. She was a great service to her community."
Jordan served in the General Assembly for 16 years, being first elected as the Democratic candidate to replace her husband three weeks after he was murdered in July 1970 outside his tavern. The Republicans did not field a candidate.
Leon Jordan was a crusader for the rights of black voters.
Freedom Inc. grew from efforts by Jordan, Bruce Watkins Sr. and other black leaders to stop white political power brokers from taking black votes for granted.
When she filed for her husband's office, Jordan said she wanted "to do everything I can to make Leon's dream of dignity, equality, justice and freedom a reality."
Jordan was a charter member of Freedom, which now is an influential political club whose support is sought by most candidates regardless of race. It was a force behind the elections of Kansas City's first black congressman, Alan Wheat, and first black mayor, Emanuel Cleaver.
Jordan was born in Clay Center, Kan., and graduated from Wilberforce University in Ohio.
She was a life member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and a member of the Urban League and the Kansas City Council on Crime Prevention. Jordan was a co-chairwoman of the Greater Kansas City Citizens for Humphrey-Muskie Committee. She was active in Links Inc., a national women's organization dedicated to civic and cultural activities.
In the early 1960s Jordan opened a pioneering shop that concentrated on African and other ethnic art objects. The Jordans went to Africa in 1947, setting up a fingerprinting bureau in Liberia. She later helped her husband operate his business in Kansas City.
Jordan consistently was re-elected to her House seat by wide margins. She once was chided by a challenger for her low profile in the statehouse. She responded: "I just go along in my own quiet way and do what I'm supposed to do, and get things done."
Jordan regularly sponsored legislation to continue a sales tax to finance the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority.
State Sen. Phillip B. Curls Sr., who served for a decade in the House with Jordan, once described her as "a lovely lady, always stable and steady."
Jordan was greeted with a standing ovation on the floor of the House in 1986 when she announced her intention to retire.
Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at Watkins Brothers Memorial Chapel, 4000 E. Brush Creek Blvd. Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at St. Augustine's Episcopal Church, 2732 Benton Blvd. Interment will be at Mount Olivet Cemetery, 7601 Blue Ridge Blvd.
Published in the December 27, 1995 edition of the Kansas City (MO) STAR
1920 United States Federal Census
Name: Orchd Ramsey
Age: 10
Birth Year: 1910
Birthplace: Kansas
Home in 1920: Clay Center, Clay, Kansas
Street: Mc Bretney Street
Residence Date: 1920
Race: Black
Gender: Female
Relation to Head of House: Daughter
Marital Status: Single
Father's Name: Maraman Ramsey
Father's Birthplace: Kansas
Mother's Name: Maud Ramsey
Mother's Birthplace: Nebraska
Able to Speak English: Yes
Attended School: yes
Able to read: Yes
Able to Write: Yes
Household Members: Name Age
Maraman Ramsey 40
Maud Ramsey 36
Harvey Ramsey 14
Florence Ramsey 12
Orchd Ramsey 10
"It was a great loss, of course," said state Rep. Mary Groves Bland, who served six years in the legislature with Jordan.
"She had lived a long, good life. She had a lot of power on the floor," Bland said. "She didn't talk a lot, but whenever she moved and asked for something she got it. She was a great service to her community."
Jordan served in the General Assembly for 16 years, being first elected as the Democratic candidate to replace her husband three weeks after he was murdered in July 1970 outside his tavern. The Republicans did not field a candidate.
Leon Jordan was a crusader for the rights of black voters.
Freedom Inc. grew from efforts by Jordan, Bruce Watkins Sr. and other black leaders to stop white political power brokers from taking black votes for granted.
When she filed for her husband's office, Jordan said she wanted "to do everything I can to make Leon's dream of dignity, equality, justice and freedom a reality."
Jordan was a charter member of Freedom, which now is an influential political club whose support is sought by most candidates regardless of race. It was a force behind the elections of Kansas City's first black congressman, Alan Wheat, and first black mayor, Emanuel Cleaver.
Jordan was born in Clay Center, Kan., and graduated from Wilberforce University in Ohio.
She was a life member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and a member of the Urban League and the Kansas City Council on Crime Prevention. Jordan was a co-chairwoman of the Greater Kansas City Citizens for Humphrey-Muskie Committee. She was active in Links Inc., a national women's organization dedicated to civic and cultural activities.
In the early 1960s Jordan opened a pioneering shop that concentrated on African and other ethnic art objects. The Jordans went to Africa in 1947, setting up a fingerprinting bureau in Liberia. She later helped her husband operate his business in Kansas City.
Jordan consistently was re-elected to her House seat by wide margins. She once was chided by a challenger for her low profile in the statehouse. She responded: "I just go along in my own quiet way and do what I'm supposed to do, and get things done."
Jordan regularly sponsored legislation to continue a sales tax to finance the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority.
State Sen. Phillip B. Curls Sr., who served for a decade in the House with Jordan, once described her as "a lovely lady, always stable and steady."
Jordan was greeted with a standing ovation on the floor of the House in 1986 when she announced her intention to retire.
Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at Watkins Brothers Memorial Chapel, 4000 E. Brush Creek Blvd. Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at St. Augustine's Episcopal Church, 2732 Benton Blvd. Interment will be at Mount Olivet Cemetery, 7601 Blue Ridge Blvd.
Published in the December 27, 1995 edition of the Kansas City (MO) STAR
1920 United States Federal Census
Name: Orchd Ramsey
Age: 10
Birth Year: 1910
Birthplace: Kansas
Home in 1920: Clay Center, Clay, Kansas
Street: Mc Bretney Street
Residence Date: 1920
Race: Black
Gender: Female
Relation to Head of House: Daughter
Marital Status: Single
Father's Name: Maraman Ramsey
Father's Birthplace: Kansas
Mother's Name: Maud Ramsey
Mother's Birthplace: Nebraska
Able to Speak English: Yes
Attended School: yes
Able to read: Yes
Able to Write: Yes
Household Members: Name Age
Maraman Ramsey 40
Maud Ramsey 36
Harvey Ramsey 14
Florence Ramsey 12
Orchd Ramsey 10
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See more Jordan-Hollis or Ramsey memorials in:
- Mount Olivet Cemetery and Mausoleum Jordan-Hollis or Ramsey
- Kansas City Jordan-Hollis or Ramsey
- Jackson County Jordan-Hollis or Ramsey
- Missouri Jordan-Hollis or Ramsey
- USA Jordan-Hollis or Ramsey
- Find a Grave Jordan-Hollis or Ramsey
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