James Jordan will be remembered as a loving father to his fivechildren, exemplified most by his support for his famous son.
"I don't remember him ever missing a ballgame," said Fred Lynch,Michael Jordan's coach at Laney High School in Wilmington, N.C. "Andacademically, he was always pushing Mike to get the job done."
Mr. Jordan was born July 31, 1936, in Wallace, N.C. He neverwent to college, heading to the Air Force and then working at GeneralElectric. He began as a forklift operator for G.E. and retired as asupervisor. It was while he was in G.E. training school in Brooklyn,N.Y., that his wife, Deloris, gave birth to Michael on Feb. 17, 1963.
The family returned to Wallace and moved to Wilmington in 1970.
Mr. Jordan played an active part in making sure Michael becamesuccessful. Michael often spoke of how his parents were role modelsand how his father led by example in many ways, right down tosticking out his tongue while working - something Michael would laterimitate.
Mr. Jordan usually wasn't far from the court whenever Michaelplayed in high school, at the University of North Carolina or withthe Bulls. He sat by Michael's side for one of Chicago's mostcherished sports memories, when Michael sobbed into the championshiptrophy after the Bulls won their first title in 1991. And Mr. Jordanwas there for the tough times, such as last spring when Michael didnot speak to the media for 11 days after a trip to Atlantic City inthe midst of the playoffs caused a furor.
Mr. Jordan spent time with Michael and also became hisspokesman, telling the media, "The trip was my idea. I took him withme. He just paid the bill."
He took the blame that time. But for most of his life hedeserved only credit.
In addition to his wife and Michael, he is survived by childrenJames Ronald, Deloris, Larry and Roslyn. No arrangements have beenannounced.
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