By Sallie James
SOUTH PALM BEACH — She was a doting mother and a devout Methodist who could sing, play the violin, speak like a lawyer and, as a lover of floppy hats, style her clothes like no other. She was also a civic warrior whose years on the Town Council were dedicated to preserving the ambience of the hometown she loved.
Stella Gaddy Jordan, who served on the South Palm Beach Town Council from 2010 to 2020, lost her years-long fight with multiple sclerosis on Sept. 4 at Good Samaritan Medical Center in West Palm Beach. She was 84.
Those who loved her remembered her as a fierce advocate who taught them the value of ambition, persistence and humility. Mrs. Jordan downplayed her illness for many years, confounding friends and family with a determination and an unearthly stamina that kept her moving forward no matter what.
“She was a chameleon. She could be sick in bed and the next day she would pull herself together looking amazing,” said South Palm Beach Mayor Bonnie Fischer. “She was strong in her faith and always a very positive person.”
Fischer credited Mrs. Jordan with getting her into politics.
A native Floridian, Mrs. Jordan was born on April 17, 1939, in Plant City. She grew up in Tampa, graduating from Jefferson High School. She eventually landed a job in banking, where she worked her way to the top.
Mrs. Jordan served as president of the National Association of Bank Women, southeast region. She spent most of her professional career at SunTrust Bank Tampa Bay, retiring as first vice president after approximately 20 years. She was also the former marketing director of the Tampa Children’s Ballet Theater.
She met her husband, George Jordan, through her best friend. He was her friend’s older brother, and the two married in 1957 while he was in the U.S. Coast Guard. After he was honorably discharged, George Jordan became a firefighter for the city of Tampa. He died at age 69 in 2006 after an illness.
In the wake of her husband’s death, Mrs. Jordan became an activist.
Mrs. Jordan slipped into politics by way of the Rizon East Condominium Association, where she served as treasurer for four terms and president for three terms.
She was elected to the South Palm Beach Town Council in 2010. She quickly became a fierce advocate for preserving the town’s ambience and kept close tabs on all things related to redevelopment and high-rise buildings.
Mrs. Jordan was instrumental in getting a charter amendment placed on the ballot in 2010 that gave residents greater control over redevelopment, said Christine Mang, president of SPB Preservation Inc., a nonprofit citizens group dedicated to preserving the town’s character.
“Our town was in good hands with her. She would listen to people and act in their interest. We are all going to miss her very much,” Mang said.
Council member Robert Gottlieb remembered Mrs. Jordan as caring, fun, smart, nice, outspoken, hardworking and special. The two worked together side-by-side for several years.
“She was always upbeat, even when she was not feeling so well. She did a good job for the town of South Palm Beach. Her service was appreciated by the town and the residents,” Gottlieb said.
Her three daughters said their mother loved to entertain and often threw parties to stir up excitement for whatever her latest cause might be. But always, she downplayed her failing health.
“To say she was hard-headed would have been an understatement. She was determined to not let it keep her down. And so she did endure. That was one of her favorite words,” her daughter Donna Culloty said. Her children described her as “the life of the party.”
Her generosity was regular and random. Culloty recalled her mother quietly folding cash into the palms of people she thought might be struggling.
“If she heard a young mother tell their young child ‘we can’t afford that’ she would just take a $20 or $50 or $100 and say ‘please take this,’” Culloty said.
Mrs. Jordan is survived by three daughters, Donna Culloty, Denise Walker and Deanna Garcia, all in Florida; a sister, Joyce Sanchez in Sunrise; seven grandchildren; six great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her sister Sandra Bell of Tampa and a grandson.
A celebration of life is being planned for sometime in October. Edgley Crematory in Riviera Beach is in charge of arrangements.
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