 Jordan was born the youngest of seven children to George and Hannah Jordan (née Taylor) in Marlbank, Ontario.His father, George, was a longtime municipal politician in Hungerford Township and ran unsuccessfully in the riding of East Hastings for the Liberals in the 1948 provincial election.He was educated in Marlbank, Tweed and at Regiopolis in Kingston, and attended teacher's college in 1949 following completion of Grade 13.