William Haynen Jourdan

November 20, 1937 - November 15, 2017

William "Bill" Haynen Jourdan, CPO 1st Class, USN, Ret. 79, of Charlotte, died November 15, 2017, at the Novant Health Presbyterian Campus in Charlotte. William was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, on November 20, 1937, the son of Lionel Francis and Mary Edna Haynen Jourdan. Before finishing high school, he answered his country’s call to service and enlisted in the United States Navy. He originally began his naval career on a submarine quickly moving to surface ships. During his career he served on three destroyers and four aircraft carriers three of which he was part of the commissioning crews. After 22 years of faithful service to his country, he retired from the USN in 1976, with the rank of Chief Petty Officer First Class. Family was also important to Bill. While in Long Island, he met Miss Doris Anne Gottwald on a double blind date and on January 5, 1958, he married her in Sayville, Long Island. Together they were blessed with three children, all born in different states as William’s military service kept them moving around. After his retirement in 1976 from the Navy, Bill went to work for Duke Power and he moved his family to Charlotte where they have been residents since. Bill enjoyed many things in life, especially being around other people and serving them as his military service showed. While he could be one of the most generous people you knew, he was also known as a prankster, and he enjoyed bantering with people, young and old in a light hearted way as much as he enjoyed helping them! He could be both gentle and kind and then remind you that he had been a sailor. Bill also enjoyed time fishing, woodworking and travelling. His spontaneous nature would often lead to trips with his family with no specific plan of destination ensuring it was always an adventure! Bill's church family was important to him as well, and he served as Treasurer of St Michael the Archangel Anglican Church and of the Eastern United States Diocese, for both the Province and the Bishop of the Province. Through the years, his eyesight began to fail. And though the loss of his eyesight curtailed much of his woodworking time, he still used his determination and love for his wife to continue to cook, clean, do the laundry and help her as the husband and partner he had vowed to be to the love of his life. He truly was a man for whom the important things in life were God, family and country, and he will be missed by all who knew him. William is survived by two children: Peter Jourdan of Charlotte and Patricia Jourdan of Charlotte; a daughter-in-law, Shawn Jourdan; six grandchildren: Andrew Jourdan, Kristen Jourdan, Amanda (husband Ken) Henderson, Christopher Jourdan, Jonathan (wife Amy) Jourdan II and Stephanie (husband David) Strait; and five great grandchildren: Karen, Elizabeth, Aubry, Jonathan III and Giroux. William is further survived by his siblings: Lynel Martha Moore, Lizabeth Lynel Caminita and Gregory Jourdan; as well as numerous other relatives and friends. William was preceded in death by his son, Jonathan, and three siblings: John Joseph Jourdan, Mary Frances Jourdan, Elizabeth Jourdan Kreider. A service led by Fr. Michael Cawthon to honor the love, laughter and blessing of William will be held at 11 am on Saturday, December 2, 2017, at St Michael the Archangel Anglican Church, 2211 Margaret Wallace Road. Interment of his cremated remains will follow in the church cemetery with members of the United States Armed Forces performing final military honors at that time. Following those services, a reception will be held in the church hall. In honor of William’s dedication and love to his church family, memorials in his name are respectfully requested to the Diocesan Foreign Mission Fund, care of the church.