Clara Luz Jordan

Clara was born on August 11, 1923, in Patzicia, Guatemala, daughter of Antonio Basterrechea and Maria Viera. She accepted Christ early in her life and was baptized in 1930. Later she and her family moved to Guatemala City. There she attended high school and took voice lessons at the Music Conservatory of Guatemala. She sang a few times in operas and developed a life-long interest in music. It was in Guatemala City that she met her first husband, Ricardo Azurdia. They married in early 1942 and had two children, Ester and Ricardo. Tragically, her husband died in a railroad accident soon after the youngest son was born. Clara left her children in the care of the paternal grandparents and moved to Mexico where she attended the Seminario Teológico Bautista de México. Later she moved to the United States and lived for a while in Albuquerque, New Mexico with her brother Andres, a Southern Baptist pastor, and his family. When Andres was called to be the pastor at a Spanish-speaking church in Bakersfield, California, Clara moved with them. There, she worked for 26 years as a nursing assistant at what was then Mercy Bakersfield hospital. When Andres was later called to pastor a church in Roswell, New Mexico, Clara remained in Bakersfield. In 1959 she was reunited with her children.

Clara was a long-time member of Valley Baptist Church. She was active in the church, sang in the choir and performed solos, was passionate about missions and became the head of the Kern County Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU). She also sang in various choirs including Bakersfield opera groups. At Valley Baptist she met a fellow worshipper, Victor Jordan. They were married in 1968 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. They both liked to travel and took many trips across the country and to Europe. But the focus of their life was their faith. In 1991 Victor and Clara moved to Tangent, Oregon. Here they attended Calvary Baptist Church in Albany. They were both involved in church activities such as teaching Sunday School. Clara also sang in the choir and performed solos. She continued her life-long interest in missions and again became Willamette Valley Associational WMU Director.

In 2001 Victor Jordan died.  Later Clara moved to Albany where she spent the rest of her life.

She is survived by daughter Ester Vaida; son in law Michael Vaida; son Ricardo; daughter in law Faye Azurdia; grandchildren Jonathan and Benjamin Brunnelson, Elisa Azurdia and Ricky Azurdia; great grandchildren Ridicc Azurdia, Tristan Azurdia, Hope Azurdia, Gaven Azurdia, Leila Azurdia and Savanna Azurdia; niece Alice Montoya; nephews Rudy Viera, George Henry Viera, Ruben Viera; grandnieces Dorcas Lorena Davila Cornejo, Ligia Eunice Davila Cornejo, Loida Zephora Davila Cornejo; grandnephews Gonzalo Baruck Davila Cornejo and Caleb Elias Davila Cornejo.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Clara Luz Jordan, please visit our floral store.