Beloved Bon employee passes away, students mourn a sudden loss

By Gelsey Plaza

One of the most beloved Bon Appétit employees, Ted “Yogi” Jordan, passed away on Feb. 15. Yogi was an active member of the Bon Appétit family and the Lewis & Clark community for nearly four decades. Many students recall the delight he took in handing out Mickey Mouse balloons in Fields Dining Room.  

Over the years, Yogi attended many school concerts and sport events and was an avid fan of the a cappella groups. on campus. Music played a big part in his life. Before graduating high school in 1959, Yogi played in an accordion band, sang and acted. He believed the most important thing a parent can do is get their child an instrument.

In an email sent to the student body, Bon Appétit General Manager Ryan Jensen said that the LC community is devastated by this sudden loss.

“He was a fixture of campus life that can never be replaced,” Jensen said in the email. “As we all work through the difficulty of coming to terms with this news, it is important to recall all of the times that Ted was a shining beacon in our lives, and we need to be thankful for the generosity that he shared.”

Although many students are saddened by the loss of Yogi, they have fond memories of him at the Bon.

Peter Bradley ’19 said that Yogi had a large impact during his first two years at LC.

“Yogi was always present and friendly,” Bradley said. “He put a smile on your face at the Bon. It feels a little empty in the Bon without him and his Mickey Mouse balloons.”

Curtis Trueblood ’20 also cherished Yogi’s special Mickey balloons and fun stories.

“For an entire month every time I saw Ted, I asked him about the pink balloons that he had ordered and that had not yet arrived,” Trueblood said. “He was so excited to have pink Mickey Mouse balloons to hand out and always had some sort of story as to how he was trying to get them to arrive sooner.”

Bon Appétit cook Leslie Van said that Yogi rode the bus and commuted every day, showing his dedication to his work.  

“We were his family,” Van said. “The students were his family. All of us. He came here every day and he gave it his all. We loved him. And he had one paycheck above poverty wages. One. And we lost him … I’m just glad he got that one paycheck.”  

A celebration of life was held on Feb. 19 at Grace Lutheran Church.