John Nord

John Nord, 103, of Tampa, passed away peacefully at his home just after midnight on November 13, 2022. John was born on Easter Sunday April 20th, 1919 in Wyandotte, Michigan to parents Adela and Titus. He was educated in the United States and Europe, eventually joining the United States Army in 1944 at the age of 25.

John served as an interpreter in the U.S. Army in France and Germany for two years until June of 1946. He spoke five languages fluently and translated German, French, Polish, and Russian into English as an Army Corporal. John was awarded the Bronze Star and Victory Medal for World War II, and the Army of Occupation Medal (Germany).

After leaving the Army, John attended the Walsh Institute of Accountancy in Detroit, Michigan graduating with a degree in Accounting in 1949. After working as a comptroller for Grinnell Brothers in downtown Detroit, John sat for and passed the Certified Public Accounting exam in 1954.

Seeking warmer temperatures, John moved with his then wife and children from Michigan to Florida in 1962. While on a visit to his in-laws home in Nokomis, Florida, John drove up to Tampa seeking employment as a CPA and applied with several Tampa Accounting firms. He was hired by Dwight Darby & Company and relocated his family to the Carrollwood area of Tampa. After working several years at the firm John left to start an Accounting practice with a couple fellow CPA’s as partners and then eventually opened his own solo Accounting practice.

While John worked as a CPA well into his mid-eighties, he was also an accomplished real estate investor and developer. He founded Nord Properties and TKL Land Development , and at one time owned and managed over 800 apartment units in the Tampa Bay area. John’s company also developed the prestigious Reserve of Old Tampa Bay, a single family waterfront home community on old Tampa Bay.

John was an avid and accomplished golfer playing the game into his mid 90’s. In his younger years he was an excellent soccer and tennis player. A passionate chess player John would compete against every computer chess game available at the time only to surpass the highest levels offered and then wait patiently until an updated more challenging version of the game became available.

Most important to John was his family. He was a fiercely loyal and devoted father, husband, Paw Paw, and friend. He met his beloved wife Diane in 1986 and they were together for 36 years. He was close with his grandchildren and they will forever cherish their time spent with him and the many stories he would tell about his exceptionally interesting life.

John is preceded in death by his parents, his brothers Walter, Stanley and Tony, sister Regina, and his daughter Kim Nord. He is survived by his wife Diane; daughters and son-in-law and their children; Terri Jean Nord of Tampa, Lorrie & Mark Eilers of Tampa; grandchildren Travis Eilers of Tampa, Rachel Eilers of Tampa and Shane Eilers currently residing in Ann Arbor, MI; Alex Heinrich of Waynesville, NC. Additionally, John is survived by his stepchildren, Kim Desrochers and fiancé Craig Sims, and Dave and Samantha Desrochers and their daughters Avery and Madison.

The family will hold a private interment ceremony at the Columbarium at Lake Magdalene United Methodist Church. They suggest any memorial contributions be made to the charity of your choice.