Jack Johnson Gordon

Lt. Col. Jack J. Gordon, age 75, died in Springdale Dec. 15, 2012. He was born Feb. 7, 1937, in Prescott, Ark., the son of Mr. Clarence G. Gordon II and Mrs. Hesterly J. Gordon. He graduated from Prescott High School in 1954 and from Henderson State Teachers College in January of 1959. While attending Henderson, Lt. Col. Gordon enrolled in the Army ROTC program, and upon graduation was commissioned a Second Lieutenant, Infantry, and recognized as a distinguished military graduate. Deciding upon a military career, Lt. Col. Gordon served numerous assignments and three tours to the Far East, including two combat tours in the South Vietnam. He was ranger and airborne qualified, and aviator in both fixed and rotary wing aircraft, and was a graduate of and an instructor at the Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan. At the completion of his last assignment in Washington, D.C., he retired in the grade of lieutenant colonel. Lt. Col. Gordon and his family settled in Northwest Arkansas; he raised cattle for a number of years and served as a commercial pilot for over 12 years with a local air charter company. His combined military and civilian flight times exceeded 10,000 hours. Lt. Col. Gordon devoted his remaining years to Muriel, his loving bride and wife of 42 years, to his family and to his most favorite avocation, hunting quail with his beloved English setter, Luke. He was a Christian with roots in both Methodist and Presbyterian denominations. Lt. Col. Gordon was preceded in death by his parents; and an older brother, Clarence G. Gordon III. He is survived by his wife, Muriel; two daughters Pamela K. Allison and her husband, Rick, of Manasses, Va., Cheryl L. Walker of Springdale, Ark.; a son, Chad A. Gordon and his wife, Tracy, of Jay, Okla.; seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren; an aunt, Mary Sue Parham of Camden, Ark.; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. Visitation will be 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2012, at Moore's Chapel. Funeral service will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at Moore's Chapel, with burial to follow at the Fayetteville National Cemetery with full military honors. Memorial contributions may be made to: Life Source, 602 S. School Ave., Fayetteville, AR 72701. To sign the online guest book, visit www.mooresfuneralchapel.com.