Former Fremont County commissioner passes, remembered as ‘quiet,’ detail-oriented person who loved to work
Published at
RIGBY – A former elected official, businessman and beloved member of the community passed away last week.
Jordon Stoddard of Egin died on March 26 from complications that resulted from cardiovascular problems, his family says. He was 81.
Stoddard served for 12 years as a Fremont County commissioner and owned a carpentry business where he made custom doors.
Family members remember Stoddard as a quiet, analytical person who was detail-oriented and loved to work.
“He had a strong power about him that made you want to please him,” his wife, VerLynn, tells EastIdahoNews.com. “He was very dedicated to his work, very much a perfectionist.”
Early life and career
Stoddard was born on July 16, 1942 to Blaine “Bill” and Velma McNee Stoddard. He attended Edmunds Elementary and later graduated from Sugar-Salem High School.
He attended high school with his wife, formerly VerLynn Burnside. They were married in 1960 and eventually settled down in Egin, where they raised two children, Dodi and Breck.
Stoddard built custom homes in the area for many years before launching his custom door shop, Jordon Stoddard Millwork. Throughout his career, he built doors for homes in Jackson, Wyoming, Park City, Utah, Hollywood, California, and Big Fork, Montana.
“All the doors were built in his shop and then all we did was deliver the doors (to the customer),” Stoddard’s son, Breck, explains.
Breck recalls delivering a door to the home of a man who played Tarzan in a movie. Multiple actors have portrayed Tarzan over the years and Breck didn’t remember his name.
“We never met the man,” says Breck.
But they did get a chance to meet another high-profile actor.
“He built the doors for Harrison Ford’s house (in Jackson). They did meet and visit with him,” Breck says.
VerLynn says her husband never spoke of these encounters because he didn’t like to brag. He preferred instead to quietly do his job and make a quality product.
Stoddard started doing carpentry work with his father-in-law shortly after he was married. Up to that point, he only had experience as a farmer. He built several homes and enjoyed the work. He started his own custom home business two years later in 1963.
“He started his own business to basically do it his own way,” VerLynn says.
Getting involved in politics
In 2010, Breck talked his dad into running for a seat on the county commission. Jordon was an active participant in local politics and Dodie says there were several issues in the county he wanted to change.
VerLynn and the kids went door-to-door campaigning for him and it resulted in an election victory.
“The first year, he tried to do (his job as a carpenter and a commissioner at the same time). He said, ‘I’ve got to dedicate myself to one job.’ So he quit the millwork and never missed a week day working for the county,” says VerLynn.
He was well versed in many issues as a commissioner, according to VerLynn. Apparently, there was a specific challenge with Island Park’s complex sewer system. Jordon went through it from top to bottom until he understood the issue, which VerLynn says amazed his political colleagues.
“We’ve never had a commissioner go through the sewer plant and understand how it worked,” county employees said, according to VerLynn.
During his 12 years in office, Stoddard did various wood projects for the county, including building a wood platform for a bronze monument the rotary club placed in front of the courthouse. VerLynn says he was glad to use his occupational skill to make a meaningful contribution.
Stoddard regularly visited with every county department and employee and developed connections with every person in the office. VerLynn says her husband felt good about his efforts in bringing people together and considered that his greatest accomplishment as an elected official.
“He always had the best interests of the county in mind and was the voice of reason. He wanted to know everything he could,” the family wrote in an email to EastIdahoNews.com. “Jordon worked beside employees to learn their job and help them the best he could. He wanted the employees to be happy so they would serve the county well.”
Stoddard ended up serving three terms as commissioner. He lost the election to Rick Hill in 2022.
‘He was well-loved and he’ll be missed’
VerLynn is grateful to her husband for always being the “go-to person” the family could depend on if something needed repaired.
“If the well wasn’t working, if the garage door didn’t go down or if we were trying to decide something about machinery or money — whatever the problem was, we went to Jordon,” she says.
Through tears, Dodie expresses gratitude for her dad’s ability to fix things and she’s going to miss doing projects with him.
Breck has fond memories of working with his dad. He’s grateful for the work ethic that was instilled in him at a young age.
“He was well-loved and he’ll be missed,” says Breck.
In addition to his wife and kids, Jordon is survived by numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren and four great-great grandchildren.
His funeral will be held at Flamm Funeral Home at 61 North 1st East in Rexburg on Wednesday, April 3. It’s scheduled for 11 a.m.
Read his obituary here.
