Reverend Victor Jordening

Reverend Victor Jordening, 95, of Lexington, Nebraska, died Tuesday, October 16, 2007, at Tri-County Hospital in Lexington. He was born March 19, 1912, at Fairbury, Nebraska, to Henry and Mary (Knoche) Jordening. Reverend Jordening attended St. John’s College in Winfield, Kansas, and in 1936, graduated from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri. There being no calls for new pastors in 1936, Rev. Jordening taught school at Poole, Nebraska, for the year following his graduation. On June 6, 1937, Pastor Jordening and Edna Drees were married at Immanuel Lutheran Church east of Daykin, Nebraska. Pastor Jordening was ordained into the ministry on June 20, 1937. Installation services were held at both Litchfield and Hazard, Nebraska, which were the first congregations served by Reverend Jordening. In December of 1946 Pastor Jordening was installed as pastor of Centennial Lutheran Church at Superior, Nebraska, and Zion Lutheran Church at Red Cloud, Nebraska. The Jordenings remained in Superior until December 1957, when they moved to Lexington, Nebraska. Reverend Jordening was installed at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lexington on December 15, 1957, where he served until December 31, 1977. While in Lexington, Rev. Jordening was instrumental in the building of two educational additions to the church, one in 1959, and another in 1977. A new parsonage was built in 1966. During the years Pastor Jordening served Trinity, the communicant enrollment of the congregation doubled in size. Following his retirement in 1977, Pastor Jordening served the Mid-South District as Worship Coordinator at Memphis, Tennessee, until 1982. The couple then returned to Lexington where Rev. Jordening served vacancies in McCook, Lowell, Shelton, Ogallala and Wilcox. Throughout the years, Rev. Jordening served in many capacities in the church and district Synod. During the period of 1978-1991, he served in 56 congregations in six different states as a Vacancy Pastor or a Pulpit Supply Pastor. At the time of his death, he was the oldest living ordained minister in the Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod. Pastor and Mrs. Jordening were well known for their beautiful gardens and was also a member of Nebraska Master Gardener Association. He also loved music and served on the local Community Concert Board for over 30 years. A wonderful, caring man, Pastor Jordening will be well remembered as well as very missed by all who loved him and knew him. Survivors include three sons: Richard (Diane) Jordening of Omaha, Nebraska David (Sharon) Jordening of Germantown, Tennessee John (Genice) Jordening of Lexington, Nebraska Three daughters: Mary (Jack) Norman of Tigard, Oregon Kathryn (Steve) Neil of Cozad, Nebraska Sara Jordening of North Platte, Nebraska One sister: Wilma Endorf of Fairbury, Nebraska Twelve grandchildren, twenty-one great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandson. Two brothers-in-law: Lester Fox of Fairbury, Nebraska Raymond (Donna) Drees of Daykin, Nebraska One sister-in-law: Esther Schoenbeck of Fairbury, Nebraska Reverend Jordening was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Edna in 1994; four brothers and one sister. Services will be held Saturday, October 20, 2007, at 10:30 a.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lexington, Nebraska with Reverends Russell Summerfeld, Michael Gruhn and Jeff Ernstmeyer officiating. The casket will be closed at the church. Burial will be in the Greenwood Cemetery at Lexington. Visitation will be held Friday, October 19, 2007, from 5-7 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lexington. Memorials are suggested to the Reverend Victor Jordening Endowment Fund or Donor’s Choice. Reynolds-Love Funeral Home in Lexington is in charge of arrangements.