VALENTINE, Neb. — The children of a Valentine man who was a staple in the community are making sure he continues to serve the area, even after his death.

Looking through old photo albums, siblings Rece and Sophia Jordan can’t help but share laughs and memories of their father, Marty Jordan—moments that now mean more than ever.

“I used to complain about having to take pictures, but now I wish I had so many more pictures,” Rece said.

Last year, during a Valentine football game, Marty was helping on the chain gang—as he had so many times before—when he suddenly fell. It was also the night of his youngest daughter Jojo’s parent night.

“He was such an amazing dad at that point because he was telling the paramedics in the ambulance, ‘I need to get out of here. I need to walk my daughter across the field.’ He loved being a dad,” Sophia said.

Although Marty thought he was okay that night, he died a few days later from a traumatic brain injury.

“It was very sudden. We didn’t get to say by,” Rece said.

“One of the last things I had said to him when he passed was, ‘I won’t let people forget you. I won’t let people not say your name,’” Sophia said.

Since his death, Marty has missed major milestones, from Jojo being crowned prom queen and graduating high school to Sophia getting engaged.

“It was on my birthday, on Father’s Day, so it was a great way to make a crappy day a little better,” Sophia said.

Through their grief, the family says the community has rallied around them. Marty was well known in Valentine, from being active in different events to running Jordan’s Fine Dining and Sports Bar.

“That’s how him and I bonded was through food in the kitchen—looking at menus and different food ideas and then bringing those to life are a huge part of what we did,” Rece said.

Another passion of Marty’s was golf. That’s why his children decided to honor his memory by raising money for the community through the things he loved.

“He loved Valentine. He was here basically his whole life. He knew so many people in the community, and I think a great way to celebrate his life is to put small little things, not necessarily wrapped around him, but to use the money raised with him to better the community,” Rece said.

The family is hosting the Marty Jordan Memorial Golf Tournament on Sept. 27 at Frederick Peak Golf Club in Valentine. While the tournament itself is full, the family is still seeking silent auction items and encouraging people to attend the auction and meal. Hoebe's Smoke 'N Meats will serve dinner at 5 p.m. Tickets are $16 and must be purchased by Sept. 13. To RSVP, text Jason at 402-322-9801 or contact the Marty Jordan Memorial Golf Tournament Facebook page. Silent auction donations can be made by contacting Angie Jordan at 402-322-1233 or Mike Jordan at 402-376-4245.

Money raised will go toward building a new pavilion at the golf course. The family hopes to continue the tournament each year to fund additional community improvements.

“This is another way to keep his memory alive. It will be a way to tell our kids who their grandpa was, and have more memories with him,” Sophia said.