Andy CloseJohn C. Nordin, 94, of Jamestown, N.Y., and Scandia, Pa., passed away on Feb. 6, 2022, at the Warren Manor.
John was born on March 21, 1927, in Rochester, N.Y., the son of the late John A. Nordin and Cletius Hicks Nordin.
He attended elementary school in North Warren and then Warren High School. John then enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served in the Pacific Theatre during World War II. He was a pharmacist mate second class, earning the World War II Medal, the American Theatre Medal, and the Asiatic-Pacific Ribbon.
After returning from the war, he worked at Curtis Candy Farms in Joliet, Ill.
Upon returning to Warren, Pa., he married his late wife, Lois Granquist Nordin on Oct. 15, 1949, at the Epworth United Methodist Church in Warren. He spent some time working at the Warren Post Office until he bought the farm in Scandia, Pa. John started with a herd of Golden Guernsey dairy cattle and supplied the milk to Walker’s Dairy. Later he had a Holstein herd with a small flock of Registered Hampshire Sheep.
As time passed the flock expanded into several hundred sheep and beef stock. John and his wife made their life in Scandia, and he was a mentor and guide spending many countless hours to many in the community and region.
All the while operating a large farm, he was very involved in many associations, including the National and Pennsylvania Guernsey Association, the National and Pennsylvania Holstein Association, the Dairy Herd Improvement Association, the Royal Arcanum, Pennsylvania Hampshire Sheep Association as a director, the American Hampshire Sheep Association serving as a director and past president, a director for the Pennsylvania and Sheep and Wool Growers Association, and the Northwest PA Sheep and Wool Growers Association as past president and director.
He also served the Chautauqua Sheep and Wool Growers Association as director and past president, a director of the Penn State Meat Evaluation Center, a Warren County 4-H leader, a livestock judge for many fairs in the region, a sheep judge for the Keystone International Livestock Exposition, and the North American Livestock Exposition. John was also a director of the Warren County Fair Board, the Warren County Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Committee as chairman and director, he served as the Scandia School Board president, was chairman and trustee of the Scandia Covenant Church, later as trustee for the Russell United Methodist Church, and most recently attended the Cable Hollow Church, where he was involved in the Wednesday Bible study. He also attended the North Warren Men’s Fellowship Breakfast.
John was a member of the Russell Volunteer Fire Department, and the Frewsburg American Legion, Samuel Derby Post 0556.
John also loved Penn State football, Liberty University football, loved to watch basketball (March Madness), his Border Collie dogs, and most of all, John enjoyed his family, their reunions at the “Wig Wam” and especially loved his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
John is survived by his four children: David C. Nordin and wife Brenda of Clinton, N.C., Rebecca A. Verhagen and husband, Mark of Monument, Colo., Nancy N. Cornfield and husband, Kurt of Lynchburg, Va., and Jeffrey J. Nordin and wife, Jill of Warren, Pa.; one sister, Marylin Larson of Lexington, Ky; seven grandchildren: John G. Nordin, Lydia Honken, Dr. Koert A. Verhagen, Kyle D. Cornfield, Kirstin Spivey, Linnea Rico and Caroline Humphreys; eight great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
In addition to his parents, John was preceded in death on Aug. 24, 2021, by his wife, Lois G. Nordin; twin brothers: William and Wilbur “Bud” Nordin, brother, Richard Nordin; granddaughter, Meredith Kier Nordin; and great-granddaughter, Lydia Rose Spivey.
Friends will be received at the Peterson-Blick Funeral Home Inc, 1003 Penna Ave. E, Warren, Pa., on Friday, Feb. 11, 2022, from 6 to 8 p.m., and for one hour prior to a funeral service at 11 a.m. to be held at the Cable Hollow Community Church, 3157 Cable Hollow Road, Russell, PA 16345, with the Rev. Allan Jones, pastor, officiating.
The family suggests memorial donations be made to the Cable Hollow Community Church, or the Salvation Army, 311 Beech St. Warren, Pa.
Those wishing to send online condolences may do so by visiting www.petersonblickfuneralhome.com
