LTC (Ret.) Marvin LaRue “Jack” Jackson, 92, of Cumming, Georgia, died peacefully on Aug. 22, 2018.

Jack was born in Prentiss, to James E. and Nannie Odie Jackson on June 27, 1926.

He attended Carson High School before being drafted into the Army in 1944. During World War II he served with the 26th Infantry Division, fighting from Metz, France to Czechoslovakia when the war ended.

Returning home, he enrolled at Mississippi State University, where he played basketball and met the love of his life Starkville native Barbara Allen. Jack and Barbara were married on Dec. 20, 1947.

After graduating from State, he rejoined the Army, this time as a 2nd Lieutenant, and was as- signed to the 10th Infantry Division at Ft. Riley, Kansas.

Three years later Jack shipped off to Korea, where he served as a company commander in the 7th Infantry Regiment. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for meritorious service in the Korean War.

After his time in Korea, he became an Army Ranger, one of his proudest achievements. Jack’s assignments in the 1960s took him to Puerto Rico, Mississippi, Kansas, back to Korea, Nebraska, and Frankfurt, Germany, as he rose in rank from Captain, to Major, to Lieutenant Colonel.

In 1969 he entered his third conflict – the Vietnam War – as an operations staff officer in Da Nang. On June 30, 1971, Jack retired from the Army. Not ready to take off the uniform of his country, he taught JROTC in the Atlanta Public School system for the next 18 years. After retirement, he moved to Cumming, Georgia, and worked part-time at a hardware store.

In retirement Jack en- joyed gardening and cheering on his two favorite Bulldog teams (MSU and UGA).

He also loved reading his Bible, telling “Papa” stories, and spending time with family and friends. Jack was a member of Cumming First United Methodist Church and the Sorta-Fifties Sunday School class.

Jack is preceded in death in by his parents, six sisters and one brother. Surviving are his wife of 71 years, Barbara Jackson, daughter Patricia Terrell of Cumming, Georgia, her husband Chuck and grand-children Charles Terrell of Collierville, Tennessee and Laura Ladd (Ben) of Newnan, Georgia, son Steve Jackson of Cumming, Georgia, his wife Donna and grandchildren Amy Halley (John) of Ft. Myers, Florida and Leigh Harper (John) of Logan- ville, Georgia, son Mark Jackson of Florence, South Carolina, his wife Barrett and grandchildren Ridgely and Snowden. Other survivors include his brother, Ernest Jack- son of Hattiesburg, and his sister Lois Broome of Hammond, Louisiana, as well as great-grand- children Grace and Kiersten Terrell, Jackson and Norah Kate Ladd, Olivia Harper, and Zach and Mac Halley.

Funeral services were held on Saturday, Aug. 25 at 11 a.m. in the chapel of McDonald & Son Funeral Home with the Rev. Kathie Stasko officiating. Burial with full military honors followed at the Georgia National Cemetery in Canton, Georgia.

Memorial contributions may be made to Burning Bush Communities 1436 Collins Road, Ft. Myers, Florida 33919, or burningbushcommunities.org

Arrangements were by McDonald & Son Funeral Home in Cumming, Georgia.