I have worked with Mike for the past four years.  It didn’t take long to realize what a great person he was.  No matter how many frustrating changes came his way, he calmly went about making it happen.  He never shied away from a challenge and was always honest when the task was just too much.  His demeanor was always positive and he loved a good joke.  
To his beloved family, know your husband, father, grandfather, son, and brother made a difference.  Our world is a better place because of him.  May God grant you strength and perseverance through this time of sorrow!   
Mike, you are missed!

Looking back on my childhood Uncle Mike was always around and I can’t remember a time when he didn’t smile. He loved to give me a hard time but it was all in fun. He was a person who you could talk to and the conversation would go on longer than expected. I wish I had one more conversation, one more visit, one more laugh with him. My prayers go out to my Aunt Franci, my cousin Jesse and his son Cameron during this extremely difficult time of loss and sorrow. May we all live everyday to its fullest, love our hardest and let God lead us on our paths. RIP Uncle Mike, until we meet again. 

What more can I say that hasn't been said in all these memories being shared of you Mike. What a wonderful human being who was loved by all.  Always willing to help anyone and answer the door at both Cornhusker and 56th.  I had the honor of being MJ's manager and it was a pleasure having him on my team.  Even if he still used a flip phone and would literally fill in an excel spreadsheet, print it, scan it and email it back instead of just sending the file.  JORDAN!!!    I know for sure you will be missed in the industry.  Several folks have reached out and shared so many stories of you MJ.  My heartfelt condolences to the Jordan family.  So long for now my friend. 

Mike was a very busy friend and always had a answer for everything. I’ll miss him 

I want to extend my condolences to Frances and the family. I am heartbroken at the loss of this wonderful man. I worked with Michael for almost 6 years at Natures Variety. When I was working out of the cornhusker warehouse we got to talk every day. I remember the day I left the company and Michael was there to give me a hug on the way out the door. He loved to talk about food and to cook. I can just remember when he thought something sounded particularly good he would wring his  hands  together and smack his lips and give that Yum sound I can’t even explain it! I will remember him as being a very kind hearted person. And yes stubborn. But that’s what made Mike- “Jordan” to us. 
Rest In Peace. Remembering  you and your family in my prayers. 



Mr Jordan, I miss you more than any words can describe.  Over the last couple of weeks I hate even entering the North building.  I will never forget meeting you for the first time, realizing that we had the DDD Keno fever, and just making sure I didn’t miss a day without walking over to see your face! Words cannot express how much everyone at Instinct misses you.  You made everyone’s day brighter!   Until we meet again…I miss you and seeing you and chatting.  During the first part of the pandemic I often raided your office collecting a weeks worth of snacks and showing up the next day to do it again.  You always had a great smile and made me smile back.  Rest In Peace my friend. See you again but hopefully not too soon.  

Mike  was like a Son to me. He never called me mom like the others  only maamI think because he loved his mother so very much. There was only one mom for him . He loved fishing,dogs,cats and children. He was a good cook and enjoyed it. He was a simple man and didn’t care about a fancy vehicle and never had one. He loved his family. I loved him very much   He will be missed. I will be looking for him to be walking through the door…He’s in heaven hugging Jesus 

I joined Instinct in Late February 2020 after being with one other company for 19 years.   I remember my 1st day in Lincoln, I was at 56th St and I walked around to meet everyone and I stopped at Mr. Jordan's office.  After an hour went by of talking  to Mike (lol), I knew I was at the right place.  If I would summarize the culture of our Lincoln Campus it could be done so in two words.  Michael Jordan.  He was such a great man.  He symbolized hard work and kindness, and he made everyone feel at home.   Whether It was the instant reconnection I had with my grandparents watching him eat braunschweiger (in the morning of course) , which made me instantly chuckle because he was about the only person I knew besides myself that liked or even knew what it was, or on any stressful day,  I would come home and tell my wife that we had a lot going on in the plants but it was okay.  The reason it was okay is because I would always stop by MJ's office on the way out and he was the guy who could always put things in perspective.  We talked about anything and everything.  He was a gentleman, a friend and the most hard working yet caring soul I have ever encountered.  I will always remember MJ, and his legacy along with the culture he instilled in Lincoln will live on forever in all of us.   

When I joined Instinct in 2018 (at the time we were called Nature's Variety) my office was a few doors down from his and he would always pop in just to say, "Hi" and ask how I was doing. He was one of the first people to greet me and show me the ropes when I joined the company.  Mike loved his fishing!! I remember showing him pictures of a recent trip I took to North Cascades National Park. He saw some of the streams and lakes in the pictures and not surprisingly the first question he asked, "Did you do any fishing?"  He also loved talking about his family. You could tell how much he loved them. He will be missed by many.

Our Condolences to entire family and extended family.  Mike always had a story for you and it always made you smile and laugh.  We loved him dearly.  Roxane Ellis

I've only been with the company a little less than 2 years, but Mike and I formed a friendship quickly. He sort of became "my person" at work. I could talk to him about anything, and often did. He really helped me come to terms with becoming a grandma and I know he is watching and laughing, while thinking of those conversations and seeing me now. =) Reading thru all these memories, I see that he formed friendships with a lot of others at work, as well. That was his demeanor for sure. =) He and I often vented to each other on bad days and shared laughs with one another on good days. There were many days after my husband got home from work, and after Mike and I's work conversation was done, that Mike and my husband would continue to talk fishing for another 30-45 minutes. =) He was one hell of a guy, pardon my french. Work will never be the same without him. I still can't believe he is gone. I really miss him, and our conversations. His family, friends, this company, and the world in general, will feel the loss of his presence for some time to come.  

Anytime i spoke with Mike the first thing he asked about was my family.  It didn't matter if he was calling me about an issue or i was calling him to give him grief over some sports.  It was always family first.  I remember my first trip to Lincoln and went onsite at our Haymarket building.  Mike was one of the first people i met and knew working for Instinct was going to be for me.  Such a genuine kind hearted person.  I will always remember the stories we shared together.

It was truly and honor and a privilege to have known MJ and to be able to call him my friend. Enjoy the fishing and mushroom hunting up there. I hear it’s awesome!

I met Mike when I started @ NV in 2018.  For the longest time, I thought his name was 'Jordan', because that's what everybody called him.  When he was over @ Cornhusker, his office was upstairs, down the hall from mine.  We would swap stories about the 'Good OLD Days' (60's, 70's 80's & 90's), kids these days ('back in the day', we didn't have seatbelts, car seats, color TV w/remotes (only 3 stations in black & white) or cell phones, yet we survived!
We would also debate who was the oldest (me by 3 months).

I called him an 'ornery old fart' because of his playful tendency to cause trouble.  He was 'almost' as sarcastic & stubborn as I am.  We were kindred spirits.  He was a good man & more than a colleague, he was a friend.  At NV, there was only one Michael Jordan, & we were extremely fortunate to know him. 

It's so hard to lose someone so suddenly, I'm still stunned & somewhat in denial.  I do not want to say goodbye, so I'll just say ... I miss you, you 'ornery old fart'!!




The BAX Family always enjoyed seeing Uncle Mike at our family holidays!  Always mashed the best potatoes!  You will be missed and know you will ALWAYS BE LOVED!  
Will, Kim and Family

From our first conversation when I needed help with an order, I knew that Michael was one of those people I could go to for assistance without feeling as if I was interrupting his day. He always had time for others and made me laugh whenever we talked.  When I think of Michael, the words that come to mind are fun and kindhearted. The world is a little darker without Michael's presence. He will be missed. 

I have not worked with Michael for almost 5 years, yet I will always consider him a friend.  He bonded with, and truly cared about everyone.  A big teddy bear, yet stubborn as a mule.   He would always give his opinion if asked, even if it was one that I did not want to hear.  I cherish his mushroom and fishing stories, as well as seeing the joy in his face when he spoke of his grandkids.  So blessed to have known the "real" Michael Jordan!   ~ R.I.P. MJ! ~

I’ll miss hearing stories about your family and fishing trips. Thank you for always taking the time to say hi and be friendly to everyone. 

That rare combination of a friendly demeanor, genuine smile, a deep knowledge of his craft and never appearing phased by the trials of the day. His legacy will remain with us.
My thoughts are with his family, friends and colleagues who knew Michael far deeper than the very limited time I spent with him can express.


To the Jordan family, 
First, my sincerest condolences. Mike was an amazing guy. I first met Mike at breakfast when Nature's Variety went to  Miami in 2015. It was called MOAP. It was a celebration of achievements. 
We were both early birds and were the first two at breakfast.  I was new to the company and knew very few from Lincoln. He and I would become very good friends over the last 7 years despite one one being in Lincoln and one in St. Louis. We talked often. Not because I was in Payroll. lol. Just to catch up and say hi. 
We also had to synchronize our calendars during mushroom hunting season to make sure all the dates he would need PTO were logged. Not sure he cared if they were approved because why.....he was going anyway! lol
@Mike, I know you are listening...you will be missed more than you will ever know. You were an amazing friend and colleague and you made a huge impact at Instinct. 

Love,
Lani Dunlap


Within the last year I have had the benefit of getting to know and befriend Michael. Thanks to team building exercises I found out how funny and kind he was. We would chat about mushroom hunting and make jokes to see who would laugh during a meeting. He was a great human being and he will be missed. 

MJ was one of my favorite people in Lincoln! And, one of the only people who still preferred phone calls over emails :) I always looked forward to our conversations.  I know how much he loved his job, his life, and his family. He will be missed. 

Michael, or MJ as I called him, will be missed beyond words.  He always had a cheery way of dealing with work problems.  It was a great pleasure knowing him.  I'm very sorry for your loss and pray for comfort and peace for you all.

I only had the pleasure of knowing MJ in the past year after I joined Instinct, but he left an indelible mark. His kindness (and sass) were evident from day one. In my first week of joining this pet company, we had to put down a family dog. It was already hard starting a new job, even harder to say goodbye to our dear pet, abruptly. That said, MJ reached out, unsolicited, (barely knowing me three weeks) via email offering his condolences and shared his path to healing from saying goodbye to some of his "fur babies" 3 years prior, in back to back weeks. He closed that email beautifully: "Life is short so love, laugh and most importantly be kind even when you don’t think or feel like you can at that moment.".  Lovely words from a lovely soul. Tip of the cap, sir.

I worked with MJ for a total of 9 1/2 years.  The first time I met him he had a big smile on his face and this is how I saw him, everyday, since.  We worked in the same offices at Cornhusker and then again at 56th St.  I will miss his laughter, his smiling eyes, and his inquiries.  He was wise when he needed to be wise.  Silly when he needed to be silly.  Kind when he needed to be kind.  There will never be another soul quite as special as MJ's. He brightened up our world.  He is missed.

I have been doing business with Mike for almost 25 years.   To say he was my favorite customer goes without saying.. He was honest, kind, funny and always had time to talk.  Our friendship grew beyond a working relationship and over time he was without a doubt one of my very best friends in this world.  I talked to Mike more than any other human over the last 10 to 15 years, discussing fishing, mushrooms, family and occasionally work.. : )   My last conversation with him was Monday the 14th. I had called his cell to check on him and learned he was in ICU.  He was having a hard time communicating with me because of the oxygen mask..  but he was able to tell me he was admitted do to Covid and hoped to be back to work in two weeks..  I told him I loved him... he told me the same and we hung up.....  My deepest sympathy's go out to his family.   I LOVE YOU MIKE...


  To the Michael Jordan family:  God bless you all.  Michael will be forever missed. 
  Michael and I have been friends for over 30 plus years. I have had the pleasure to work with MJ most of these years. Our team accomplished some wonderful things. MJ’s knowledge of purchasing raw materials and supplies was outstanding as well as his leadership. 
  Every summer, we always went on a fishing trip. We would fish and fish. We always enjoyed cooking in the outdoors, drinking a few Jack Daniel sours and the best part of these trips was just Mike and I talking about life, our work, what we liked and what we didn’t like in front of the fire. I could talk to MJ about anything. He was a true friend to me. 
  MJ was a hard core Dallas Cowboy fan on Sundays and a great Husker fan on Saturdays just like me. 
  I remember one night we were playing Keno somewhere.  MJ came back to our table and threw down $2,200 and said he was buying. What a night!!  He always had the good luck. 
  MJ was a one of a kind. He was so nice to everyone. 
  When I go to heaven, MJ will be the first one I look for cause he will already know all the good fishing spots!!
  Can’t wait for our paths to cross again!

  Robert Masters



Mike I can't express how much i miss you. You was a great friend and mentor to me and work will not be the same with out you "old man" 

Mike, you were in my life for barely a year (I started @ Instinct in January, 2021), but in that year you left a huge impact.  You were a mentor, a listener, a joker, a teacher, and an all around amazing human.  I'm still struggling to believe this is real.  I am going to miss your sass so much and your stories about your grandson.  You were so proud of him.  
I know you're up there watching your family and fishing in the best spot Heaven has to offer.   Until we meet again.  <3

This is very sad to hear. I have known  Mike from way back to Presscott school and we played football together for Lincoln Welding. Just got to catch up again the last few years.  So sorry for your loss. Thoughts and prayers to ur family. Bobby Schoonover

Franci and Family,

I am so sorry for your loss! Mike and I didn’t get to see each other often in our later years but when we did that special bond we had was still there. I guess that is the way it is with some Cousins. When we were young we both worked downtown. I worked at Centel and he worked at the Corn Popper and I would walk down those few blocks to the Corn Popper every week and visit with him. I loved Mike and he will always hold a special place in my heart! He was the most kind, sweet and loving person. Oh and that smile!!! He will be missed but never forgotten.

May he Rest in Peace! 

Love you! 
Kathy


MJ was the kindest man.  We became friends instantly.  He was always asking me how things were going when he knew my hubby and daughter were failing in health.  He cried with me after each of them passed.  Was always willing to listen, offer a prayer or just a smile.  He never had a harsh word for anyone.  Rest in Peace dear friend, love you and you will be missed.

Since day one at Instinct, MJ was there for me. He was there to teach, to listen and always to laugh with.   He was absolutely a mentor and a friend.  We are both stubborn and he would frustrate me so much some days that I would put him in a 'time out!'  It would never last long, but he deserved it. LOL He told me that he would always try to make me mad because it was too fun.  I've missed him so much at work and am a bit lost now. No one to make me mad and laugh all at once anymore. I love you so dear friend. Hope you get to fish every day up there. 

Nobody ever believed me when I told them my uncle was Michael Jordan :) he will be missed by many! Here is a photo of him with his brother, sister, and dad, that I took Thanksgiving 2017. 

I started working at Instinct in February and when I met Jordan, you could tell right away that this was a person that everyone loved and you couldn’t not love him!! I only knew him for such a short time, but in that time I learned a lot about Jordan.. I learned that he was very dedicated to his job, but loved to hunt morel mushrooms, loved his new chickens, and loooved to fish!! More importantly I learned that he liked to cook his lunches at work.. and I learned this last one very quickly. He was known for always burning his dang pizzas in the oven.. which he always blamed on the pan… “Jordan! You burned your pizza; it stinks in here!!” And he would respond, “IT’S THE PAN!!” Lol. And as we baked cookies this week at work, we burned them.. and we couldn’t help but think this was Jordan telling us “it’s the damn pan!!!” Haha.   We will miss this magnetic soul so much around the office!! And every time someone burns something, we will always think of you Jordan!!! Rest In Peace friend!! 

When I first moved to Nebraska Michael was so friendly to me and was such a pleasure to talk to. I would look forward to going to 56 street, on the way to office I would always stop and chat with Michael I think we solved most of the world's problems only if the world would listen. I loved his fishing stories; Michael is a diehard Cowboys fan even though I am not I am going to root for the Cowboys to win the Superbowl for Michael. Rest in peace my friend you will be missed 


My Brother in law was such a kind and sweet person that always had a smile and a laugh. He will forever be greatly missed! We love you Michael

OBITUARY

Michael Lynne Jordan

November 18, 1962 – December 28, 2021

Lincoln Memorial Funeral Home & Cemetery

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