James (Jim) Louis Jordy, 87, of Aiken, SC and Mt. Lebanon, PA, died in Fort Pierce, FL, on January 13, 2024, with family members by his side. Jim lived a long and productive life, and he leaves an enduring legacy – in his children and grandchildren, in the hundreds of students he taught and players he coached, in all the things he repaired or built, and the example he gave through his strong work ethic, steadfastness, and resourcefulness.

Jim was born on March 28, 1936, in Pittsburgh, PA, to George and Mary Jordy. At 6’4”, he was a star basketball player – the first to play varsity for three years at Mt. Lebanon (PA) High School (1950-1954), and then as starting center for the Pennsylvania State University Nittany Lions in State College, PA, where he graduated in 1958 with a Bachelors in Education. Jim also received his Masters in Education from The College of William and Mary, in 1963.

Jim met his beloved wife Sarah (Sally) Jane McCoy at Mt. Lebanon High School. She was a year younger than him, and he won her hand with his wit and thoughtfulness. Their courtship continued as they attended Penn State together, and were married in Mt. Lebanon on December 27, 1958. They were deeply devoted to each other for the rest of their years until Sally passed away in 2015. Jim and Sally’s children meant the world to them; on a teacher’s salary they raised two sons and two daughters, and created many lasting memories. After the children were grown and on their own, Jim and Sally continued to be very supportive of their children, and loved to spend time with their grandchildren. They also took many summer trips together to their beloved Maine.

Jim was a natural-born teacher, and very dedicated to teaching for over 45 years – in the mathematics classroom and on the basketball court as a head coach. Thanks to Sally, Jim became a devoted Christian Scientist, and he dedicated a large part of his life to serving the church in various leadership positions wherever they lived, including the world headquarters in Boston and at Camp Newfound in Maine. Jim was very well known for his woodworking and construction skills; his knowledge of tools and his tool collection was without equal. Many people benefited from his ability to remodel, repair, and build. His tools and skills have been passed down to his children and grandchildren, and his influence lives on in their handiwork.

Jim will always be remembered for his love of sports; he would watch almost any game on TV, and he and Sally especially loved Penn State football. He will always be remembered for his unmatched work ethic and determination to never give up – on fixing something, on solving a problem, or helping his family or his students. Many will remember his dry sense of humor that lay just beneath the surface, accompanied by his wry, giggling laugh which would come out after one of his corny dad jokes.