The City of Florence is grieving an important community member. Former Florence City Councilman William “Dick” Jordan died at 80 years old on Monday, Oct. 7. He leaves behind a legacy that touched the hearts of his family, friends and the entire city of Florence.
“In those 37 years, you’ve gotten district work that he did downtown, the more global impact of the Marriott at Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, the conversations he had to make sure the city of Florence was cared for,” said Florence City Councilwoman Michelle Eubanks. “Those are just some of the very few things that he did.”
Councilman Jordan worked to improve the city of Florence from 1979 up until his retirement in March 2024. He served Florence in several municipal positions, including his time as a City Commissioner, City Councilman, Council President and city Mayor.
“It was a very fortunate opportunity for me [to work with Jordan],” said Eubanks. “To learn from someone who had all of that experience, […] he became something of a mentor to me.”
Jordan was known to be a very headstrong leader in his time as city councilman, asking the questions no one wanted to ask and bringing new perspectives to many civil decisions. He did this all while still bringing a lightheartedness to the conversations.
One of the biggest impacts Councilman Jordan had on the Florence area was his mediation and implementation of a deal with the Retirement System of Alabama, implementing the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail of the Shoals and the Marriott Conference Center.
“Take all of the other things away […] the fact that he brokered that deal, absolutely changed the trajectory of the city of Florence,” Eubanks said. “[That deal] has opened the city up to tourism, tax revenue and has given the city something to be very proud of.”
Jordan was in charge of the historical District 2 in the downtown Florence area. He was incredibly proud of how far the downtown area has come. His influence on the beautification of the downtown area cannot be understated, including his time renovating the Florence Harbor Marina and implementing the pocket parks scattered throughout Florence.
Councilman Jordan was a man committed to his family, his community, and his faith. He is survived by his wife, Libby Jordan, his children, Bill Jordan and Laura Llevat, as well as his grandchildren Will Jordan, Matt Jordan, Charlotte Llevat. and Jordan Llevat.
