J. Jordan Nerenberg, beloved husband, father, grandfather, businessman, philanthropist, traveler, and consummate mensch, died peacefully at home in Tucson, Arizona. He was 91 years old.
Born in Chicago in 1934 to Sam and Helen Nerenberg, Jordan grew up alongside his brother Jerry in a household shaped by contradiction, devotion, and humor. His father Sam, a Jewish immigrant from Ukraine, was serious, driven, and singularly focused on business and Jewish observance. Jordan’s mother Helen, who lost both parents in the 1918 influenza pandemic, adored her Jordan completely. She slipped butter under his bread when meat was served so Sam would never know the meal was not technically kosher, and she doted on Jordan in ways both tender and mischievous. Jordan attended Chicago public schools and graduated from Senn High School, where he formed lifelong friendships.