John Parks "Jack" Hanna

1924 - 2014

LAURINBURG, N.C. – John "Jack" Parks Hanna, 89, of Scotia Village in Laurinburg, N.C., formerly of Concord, passed away Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2014.

Jack was born Aug. 2, 1924, in Concord, son of the late John V. and Mildred Phillips Hanna. He was the loving and devoted husband to the late Evelyn Peterson Hanna.

Jack was a World War II United States Army Veteran and a 1948 graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, better known as RPI. He enjoyed a successful career of 34 years with General Electric and excelled in developing their Integrated Circuits Center, an early stage of communications technology.

He shared an enthusiasm for boating and traveling with his late wife Evelyn. They both dedicated a large portion of their retirement years to humanitarian projects in Jamaica and Haiti. They picked the ravaged country of Haiti to establish a Rural Development Program. Sponsored under a covenant with the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti, they chose to adopt a "watershed" approach on the denuded southern arm of Haiti. Now the effort has spread to five watersheds and one waterfront community.

Jack and Evelyn moved from Newbern, N.C. to Scotia Village of Laurinburg in 2001 and had been contributing members of the Laurinburg Presbyterian Church as well as being active in all aspects of Scotia Village life.

Jack enjoyed a reunion with the majority of his children over Thanksgiving as he desired for family to be together while he was living in lieu of a gathering upon his death.

He is survived by their children, John Peterson "Pete" Hanna and wife, Chris, of Charlotte, N.C., James Parks Hanna of Puerto Rico, Jeffrey Phillips Hanna and wife, Barbara, of Nokomis, Fla., Robert Scott Hanna and wife, Trish, of Fogelsville, Pa. and Charles Allen Manchester of Hookstown, Pa.; his brothers, G. Phillips Hanna and wife, Helen, of Falls Church, Va. and Allan Hanna and wife, Myrna, of Concord; five grandchildren, Melissa Manchester Johnke, Craig Manchester, Georgia Hanna, Seona Hanna and Lauchlan Hanna; four great-grandchildren, Cierra Hoover, Emma Ford, Camden Johnke and Elliana Johnke; and a special niece, Rachel Hanna.

Visitation will be held Saturday, Feb. 8, beginning at 11 a.m. at Scotia Village with a Celebration of Life Memorial Service following at 3 p.m. at the Laurinburg Presbyterian Church officiated by Dr. Neal Carter.

The committal service will be held at a later date in Concord.

The family request in lieu of flowers that memorial gifts be made in his memory to the Haiti Fund, Inc., P.O. Box 81075, New Bern, N.C. 28563 or Scotland Community Health Clinic, 1405 West Blvd, Laurinburg, N.C. 28352.

Services entrusted to Richard Boles Funeral Service.