jar546
Forum Coordinator
It was October of 2009, and I received a phone call from Richard, or RJJ, on the old ICC forum. He asked me if I was aware that the ICC was going to shut down their online forum, and I told him I had heard something about it. He then told me how important the forum was for the industry, and he could not believe we would not have somewhere to bounce ideas, ask code questions, and get opinions from others. I agreed with him. I was knee-deep as a building official back then for about five different municipalities, and my only presence at the ICC was limited at best. The ICC forum was not my priority, but I respected Richard. He was a very experienced inspector, plans examiner, and zoning officer. Since we were both from Pennsylvania, we had a lot to talk about even though we were in two different areas 2 1/2 hours apart. After listening to Richard's concerns, I agreed with him, and then he asked me if I knew how to build a forum for the ICC members. I told him I had no idea. He knew I was tech-savvy and pushed me to figure it out. By the following day, we were live on my website and did not even have a name. Richard then contacted everyone he knew on the ICC forum, telling them to sign up for our new venture. The rest is history.
The Building Code Forum exists solely because of Richard Jordan Jensen (RJJ). It was Richard's vision, not mine, that was the impetus to build TBCF. Yes, I built t, maintained it, grew it, but it was Richard's understanding of the importance of a forum for professionals like us that this was created in the first place. Through the years, RJJ was a mentor to me. We often spoke on the phone, trading stories, but mostly, I picked his brain and benefited from his vast experience and passion for our industry. When three of my towns experienced a 500-year flood event, it was Richard who came to the rescue. I put him on the payroll at my third-party agency and wish he lived closer so I could talk him into staying. For three weeks, he traveled back and forth to help me out. That was a terrible time, and I don't know if I could have gotten through it without his help.
Richard always helped with the forum and was a moderator, even though I gave him admin privileges. He has a full schedule but helped when he could. As a matter of fact, when the Welcome Forum was added back in 2010, it was Richard who started the very first thread that is still used today to welcome members. Richard was a true team player. Over the past few years, we spoke less. In the last few times I tried to call him, there was no answer, and I did leave a message. Little did I know.
So today, March 3, 2023, I was going to contact him again. I typed his name into Google to see what towns he worked for and instead found his obituary. On June 24, 23, Richard Jordan Jensen, husband, father, grandfather, and mentor, passed away. The heart and soul of The Building Code Forum will always beat with the passion of the man who pushed to get it started, Richard Jordan Jensen. Rest in peace, my friend. Rest in peace.
If you have any fond memories of RJJ, please post them. His obituary is below.
www.elcollinsfuneralhome.com
The Building Code Forum exists solely because of Richard Jordan Jensen (RJJ). It was Richard's vision, not mine, that was the impetus to build TBCF. Yes, I built t, maintained it, grew it, but it was Richard's understanding of the importance of a forum for professionals like us that this was created in the first place. Through the years, RJJ was a mentor to me. We often spoke on the phone, trading stories, but mostly, I picked his brain and benefited from his vast experience and passion for our industry. When three of my towns experienced a 500-year flood event, it was Richard who came to the rescue. I put him on the payroll at my third-party agency and wish he lived closer so I could talk him into staying. For three weeks, he traveled back and forth to help me out. That was a terrible time, and I don't know if I could have gotten through it without his help.
Richard always helped with the forum and was a moderator, even though I gave him admin privileges. He has a full schedule but helped when he could. As a matter of fact, when the Welcome Forum was added back in 2010, it was Richard who started the very first thread that is still used today to welcome members. Richard was a true team player. Over the past few years, we spoke less. In the last few times I tried to call him, there was no answer, and I did leave a message. Little did I know.
So today, March 3, 2023, I was going to contact him again. I typed his name into Google to see what towns he worked for and instead found his obituary. On June 24, 23, Richard Jordan Jensen, husband, father, grandfather, and mentor, passed away. The heart and soul of The Building Code Forum will always beat with the passion of the man who pushed to get it started, Richard Jordan Jensen. Rest in peace, my friend. Rest in peace.
If you have any fond memories of RJJ, please post them. His obituary is below.
Obituary information for Richard Jordan Jensen
View Richard Jordan Jensen's obituary, contribute to their memorial, see their funeral service details, and more.
www.elcollinsfuneralhome.com
