CEA-Retired Secretary Remembered
Patricia Jordan leaves legacy of
education, union advocacy
Patricia (“Pat”) Jordan, secretary of CEA-Retired, passed away on March 25. A Waterford math teacher for 40 years, Jordan became involved in union work early in her career, holding various local leadership positions before advancing to state and national leadership roles. In addition to serving on the boards of directors of both CEA and NEA, she was elected CEA secretary, was a long-time delegate at CEA and NEA Representative Assemblies, served on the NEA Resolutions Committee, and chaired the CEA Resolutions Committee.
“Pat was a strong supporter of CEA’s Connecticut Education Foundation and founded The Children’s Fund, which she called her proudest accomplishment,” says CEA Vice President and CEF President Joslyn DeLancey. The Children’s Fund has provided hundreds of children with necessities their families couldn’t afford.
Most recently, she co-authored the new business item that brought the issue of WEP/GPO repeal to the floor of the NEA Representative Assembly. Instrumental in CEA’s successful efforts to repeal these outdated federal laws and return Social Security benefits to teachers, she celebrated with fellow educators when President Biden signed the Social Security Fairness Act into law this past January.
“Pat always approached her work with great love and compassion,as she deeply cared about students, her colleagues, and the teaching profession,” says CEA President Kate Dias. “She was full of life, had a fierce wit, and will be deeply missed by all who knew her.”
A powerful force within CEA and CEA-Retired, Jordan was honored with the 2024 CEA Excellence in Education Advocacy Award.
“Our team had the great pleasure of working alongside her for many years and benefiting from her boundless energy and passion,” says CEA-Retired President William Murray.
In her honor, and in keeping with her wishes, friends and family at her memorial service wore pink and red to celebrate Jordan’s vibrant personality and longtime commitment to education.
Please consider a donation in her memory to CEF. Donate here
