Street name change to SFC Elbert Ray Jordan Way honors longtime advocate for south Rockford

By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — Elbert Jordan, who spent decades advocating for his corner of southwest Rockford and has been called the Godfather of Levings for his work to rejuvenate that park, officially lives on a street that bears his name.

A stretch of Montague Street from Montague Road to South Johnston Avenue, which is an entrance to Levings Park, has been honorarily renamed SFC Elbert Jordan Way.

Previously: He spent years advocating for his corner of southwest Rockford. Now, he’ll live on a street named after him

A celebration was held Saturday afternoon at the corner of Montague Road and Montague Street to showcase the street signs and recognize Jordan, a 76-year-old U.S. Army veteran and retired Chrysler worker who founded the Live at Levings talent showcase. The SFC in the sign stands for his Army rank of sergeant first class.

Jordan has worked to improve the parks, streets and look of his neighborhood since he bought a small ranch home on the street after returning to Rockford from military service in 1971.

“I’ve spent all my life doing things for other people, I’ve never had nobody ever do something like this for me,” Jordan told a few dozen people gathered for the ceremony. “I’m so excited I just don’t know how to put it into words.”

Jordan is credited with helping bring new life to Levings Park, starting with the creation of a talent show in 1986. That show has grown to be known as a place for budding performers to hone their skills and for neighbors to gather and get to know one another.

“It is a blessing and an honor to be able to claim this street Elbert Ray Jordan Way in honor of the man who saw what Levings Park could be, and saw it through to make it happen,” said Alderwoman Gina Meeks, who sponsored the renaming of the road before Rockford City Council. “Elbert, there are so many musicians who may not know who you are but are thankful for the opportunities Live at Levings brought to their life.”

Meeks is one of those musicians who benefited from Live at Levings. On Saturday, she read a proclamation from Mayor Tom McNamara declaring Saturday to be Elbert Ray Jordan Day.

Jordan was also a driving force behind fixing what was a pothole-filled stretch of Montague Street in 1997, gathering petitions to push then-mayor Charles Box to fix the road. Years later, he was focused on streets again when he called Ken DeCoster’s former WNTA radio show to say road repairs should be paid for by anyone who drives through the area, not just homeowners. That’s exactly what the 1% sales tax does today. And, when he felt that Levings Park wasn’t getting the attention it deserved, he called on former Rockford Park District Executive Director Webbs Norman to meet him there to learn more about what needed to be done.

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Jordan and Norman put together a long list of improvements in 1986, and the culmination of that work came earlier this year when Jordan finally crossed off item No. 32, which called for a stage in the park. The Levings Unity Pavilion, an 807-square-foot stage and timber structure paid for by Hard Rock Casino and Ringland-Johnson Construction, was opened in late May.

Rockford Park District Executive Director Jay Sandine said Jordan’s work at Levings Park is about more than what you see today: the playgrounds, tennis courts, the stage or West Rock Wake Park, a top-ranked wakeboard park that opened a decade ago.

“What it had to do with is bringing people together from all walks of life to enjoy and get to know each other and build unity,” Sandine said. Jordan “has shaped the Rockford Park District. His impact is bigger than the park. It’s bigger than this street. It’s the entire community.”

Jordan spent 17 years leading the Live at Levings showcase. It’s now led by musician Harlan Jefferson. The park is also home to Domingos en El Parque, a musical showcase founded by Armando Cardenas and now run by Antonio Ramirez Jr., both whom where at Jordan’s celebration on Saturday.

Jordan worked for Chrysler, now Stellantis, for 30 years and spent 25 years as a U.S. Army Reservist before retiring at age 49. He likes to say he spent 30 years working for the good of his family at Chrysler, 25 years working for the good of his country in the Army, and 17 years working for the good of his community by hosting Live at Levings.

He said he hopes his work encourages others to speak up when they have an idea that will benefit the community.

“It’s a great feeling to know that you’ve been recognized in this way,” he  said. “Not because you set out for recognition, but because it came your way for the work that you did.”

This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas