A Series of Fortunate Events
Jonathan Christopher Nord, known to many as “Jona”, was born on August 27, 1980 in Los Alamitos, California. When he was three years old, the Nord family moved to France where his parents, Chris & Carolyn, served as missionaries for 10 years. Jonathan attended a fine arts French public school;he became fluent in French and quickly developed a love for music and swimming.
In 1993, the Nord family returned to California. Jonathan attended Brethren Christian Jr. High for two years, then Warren High School in Downey where he graduated in 1998. Though Jonathan was extremely bright, he often preferred to spend his school days snowboarding instead of attending class. If AP snowboarding and AP hockey classes were offered, he would have graduated with a 4.0 GPA.
After graduating from high school, Jonathan continued working for In-N-Out Burger, where he’d began working in high school, and attended Cerritos College for two years. In 2005, he met Dawn Kleinfelter while working at Lucille’s Barbeque in the Long Beach Town Center. Jonathan had new motivation to finish college and began taking classes at Cal State University, Long Beach. In June 2008, he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Communications Studies. Shortly after, Jonathan began working for Bucks for Books, a college textbook buy-back company, as a regional manager.
In June 2009, a neighbor noticed Jonathan was jaundiced and suggested he see a doctor. On July 20th, 2009, after multiple tests, scans, biopsies, and a laparoscopy, Jonathan was diagnosed with an extremely rare form of liver cancer. Dawn and a couple close friends organized a surprise benefit / fundraiser in Jonathan’s honor on September 12th, 2009. The word had slipped a few weeks prior, so the surprise was on her when Jonathan proposed in front of over 300 friends and family!
Jonathan’s cancer diagnosis ultimately renewed his life through faith and trust in God, and he maintained a fighting spirit and optimistic attitude throughout his battle. We will miss him so much, but rather than mourning the end of his life here on earth, we rejoice in his spiritual journey and in his eternal life in Heaven. Our finite brains cannot begin to comprehend the reality that he is more alive than we are.
He is survived by his parents, Chris and Carolyn, his sisters, Sarah and Stephanie, his fiancée, Dawn, and many aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends. Oh, and we can’t forget his dog, Kobe!
In 1993, the Nord family returned to California. Jonathan attended Brethren Christian Jr. High for two years, then Warren High School in Downey where he graduated in 1998. Though Jonathan was extremely bright, he often preferred to spend his school days snowboarding instead of attending class. If AP snowboarding and AP hockey classes were offered, he would have graduated with a 4.0 GPA.
After graduating from high school, Jonathan continued working for In-N-Out Burger, where he’d began working in high school, and attended Cerritos College for two years. In 2005, he met Dawn Kleinfelter while working at Lucille’s Barbeque in the Long Beach Town Center. Jonathan had new motivation to finish college and began taking classes at Cal State University, Long Beach. In June 2008, he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Communications Studies. Shortly after, Jonathan began working for Bucks for Books, a college textbook buy-back company, as a regional manager.
In June 2009, a neighbor noticed Jonathan was jaundiced and suggested he see a doctor. On July 20th, 2009, after multiple tests, scans, biopsies, and a laparoscopy, Jonathan was diagnosed with an extremely rare form of liver cancer. Dawn and a couple close friends organized a surprise benefit / fundraiser in Jonathan’s honor on September 12th, 2009. The word had slipped a few weeks prior, so the surprise was on her when Jonathan proposed in front of over 300 friends and family!
Jonathan’s cancer diagnosis ultimately renewed his life through faith and trust in God, and he maintained a fighting spirit and optimistic attitude throughout his battle. We will miss him so much, but rather than mourning the end of his life here on earth, we rejoice in his spiritual journey and in his eternal life in Heaven. Our finite brains cannot begin to comprehend the reality that he is more alive than we are.
He is survived by his parents, Chris and Carolyn, his sisters, Sarah and Stephanie, his fiancée, Dawn, and many aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends. Oh, and we can’t forget his dog, Kobe!