| Date of Birth | April 20, 1950 |
| Date Deceased | December 11, 2024 |
| Hometown | Hammondsport |
| Home State | N.Y. |
Betty Jean Jordan
HAMMONDSPORT – Betty Jean Jordan, a long-time resident of the Hammondsport community, passed away on Wednesday, December 11, 2024. Faced with cancer, Betty approached her life and future with optimism and hope. She fought to maintain the life she loved with her trademark determination and resolve.
Betty was born on April 20, 1950 in Bath, NY to James Henry & Ann Helene Jordan who both preceded her in death. Also preceding her in death was her brother, James Robert Jordan of Ontario, NY. James is survived by his son, Tim Jordan of Williamson, NY and his daughter, Terasa Jordan of Ontario, NY. Also, preceding Betty’s death was her sister, Barbara Ann Shipman of Penn Yan, NY. Barbara is survived by her husband, David Shipman, currently of Penn Yan, NY and her sons, Marty Shipman of Penn Yan, NY and Kevin Shipman of Marion, NY. Betty is survived by her sister, Patricia Wilson of Loveland, CO. Patricia is mother to Christine Anne Busch of Loveland, CO and Laura Elizabeth Spence-Newhouse of Portland, OR.
Betty had a lifelong love of Keuka Lake and enjoyed her Hammondsport neighbors. She shared her profound culinary talents by cooking, baking, canning and winemaking till the very end of her life. She also enjoyed visiting with the many patrons and staff while working at the Hammondsport Grocery. She was an exceptional music teacher and musician, playing the piano and organ for many organizations and churches throughout her lifetime.
At 74 years of age – despite her illness – she was still chopping wood for her wood-burning stove, the sole source of heat for her home. Every year she would search her property for the perfect Christmas tree, cut it down, and bring it home to decorate. She held steadfast love for the many cats she raised when they were abandoned on her property. Her love of nature and wildlife was immeasurable. She indeed loved all creatures, great and small.
Betty requested no service be held to honor her life. Her ashes will be spread on her gorgeous acreage, where she lived the most cherished years of her life.
Anyone wishing to honor her life and memory can donate to their favorite animal care facility. One of her favorites was The Animal Care Sanctuary, 353 Sanctuary Hill Lane, East Smithfield, PA 18831.
The Bishop & DeSanto Funeral Home, 35 Main St., HAMMONDSPORT is honored to assist her family with the arrangements.
Online condolences or remembrances of Betty are welcome below in the comment section or on the Facebook page of Bishop-Johnson & DeSanto Funeral Home.
I am so sorry to hear. About Betty’s passing. She was the organist at UPC in Hornell while I was the Choir Director. She was a fun person and easy to work with. She taught us how to decorate Ukrainian eggs and shared recipes.
She is remembered fondly. My prayers and thoughts are with you
I am so thankful that I got to spend several days with my dear friend from Penn Yan Academy days, eating Mexican one day and even a wood fired pizza she made for me at her lovely homestead high on the hills above Keuka Lake. She and I are both cat lovers, so the breeze, views, conversation, sharing, catching up, and tales from long past, mixed with hopes and reality about the future and whether or not we’d get to see much of it since it seems like everyone around us is leaving day by day. She faced her diagnosis with aplomb, not pharmaceuticals or surgery, and her verve for a good clean outdoorsy life on her magnificent acreage that she worked so hard to keep so her rescued cats could find peace as well. I loved Betty. Always. And listening to her play melodies that flowed from her artistic and capable hands unabashedly all through high school and beyond. Maybe because we were both “unconventional” in so many ways, but also way back to her living next to June Willoughby as we grew up, Betty and I shared an honesty matched by few others. Her views and knowledge were as unique as her ever-helpful days of service to her community. I will miss her, but I hope and pray we will reconnect someday in the hereafter, and more than ever I appreciate the hours and times we had together since our teens! Bless you Betty!
I was sorry to learn of Betty’s passing. We had lost touch a number of years ago though I knew she loved her cats. We grew up from 6th grade through high school and college next door to each other and had wonderful summers on the lake, water skiing and swimming and laying out in the sun playing Scrabble before we knew that was so bad for your health.
We took piano lessons from the same teacher, Maria Stephens, and she had us play Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Scheherazade” as a duet. I played the bass and she the melodies with their many fast runs. I could never have played that but she was a whiz on a keyboard.
My condolences to her remaining family.