Jack Milton Deacon

HAVELOCK - Master Gunnery Sgt. Jack Milton Deaton, USMC Ret., 85, of Havelock, passed away Thursday, December 12, 2013, at Crystal Coast Hospice House after a brief illness.

A long-time resident of Craven County, Mr. Deaton served 27 years in the Marine Corps and saw service in Korea and Vietnam. For the last 13 years of his military career he was a member of the VMCJ Squadron as Aircrew in the RF-4B, EF-10B and EA-6A. He was awarded many commendations during his military career; among them was the Bronze Star with V for Valor.

Following his retirement from the Corps in 1978 he taught electronics in Algeria and then returned home to spend many more years as a Civil Servant at Cherry Point. He was a faithful member of Cherry Point Baptist Church where was a Deacon for many years. He loved to sing in the choir and he helped to start and maintain the bus ministry. He was a lifetime member of the Disabled American Veterans and drove the DAV van to the VA hospital in Durham for many years. He was a 32nd degree Mason and was a past Master of Lodge 688 in Havelock.

Jack was surrounded by his earthly family when he flew away to join his family and friends that have gone on ahead. He was the kind of man who would stop and change a tire for a stranger and he gave cash to stranded motorists at a rest area. He could drive a bulldozer and fly an airplane and there wasn't much he couldn't fix, although if something wasn't working quite right, his philosophy was to get a bigger hammer and knock it into place. He was a proud Marine and a retired Civil Servant and an all around cool dude. He taught his son and daughters to drive a stick shift, ride a motorcycle, shoot a gun and to be good folk.

Son of Alfred P. and Essie Lambert Deaton, he was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers and a sister. He is survived by his devoted wife of 53 years Barbara Shelton Deaton, of the home; son, David M. Deaton and David's wife Darlene (Davis) and granddaughters Connie and Caitlyn of Woodbridge, VA; and daughters Andrea Newton of Wilmington and Denise Deaton of New Bern.

A memorial service will be held at Cherry Point Baptist Church in Havelock on Saturday, December 28 at 11:30 a.m. The family will receive friends at 10:30 a.m. at the church. There will be a private inurnment at Gethsemane Memorial Gardens in Morehead City at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Wounded Warrior Leave Program at: PO Box 639, Newport NC 28570 c/o James Casti or The Crystal Coast Hospice House at: CCHH PO Box 483, Morehead City, NC 28557 or online at www.crystalcoasthospicehouse.org.

Access online obituary and Internet condolences through www.brooksfuneralhomeandcrematory.com.

Arrangements are by Brooks Funeral Home and Crematory Inc. of Morehead City.

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