Jack Orbin Loftin, 86, of Archer City passed away Sunday evening, Feb. 22, 2015, at an Archer City nursing center. Service: 10 a.m. Thursday at the First Baptist Church, Alec Haigood, interim pastor, officiating. Interment will follow in Archer City Cemetery under the direction of Aulds Funeral Home. Visitation: The family will receive friends 6 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Aulds Funeral Home. Memorials: The family suggests memorials to Hospice of Wichita Falls, 4909 Johnson Road, Wichita Falls, Texas 76310. Jack was born Feb. 3, 1929, one-half mile from the Archer County line, in Young County, to Frank Orbin Loftin and Ruby Ray Newman Loftin. He was reared on his father's ranch in southeast Archer County. He graduated from Archer City High School in 1946 and received a B.S. degree in mechanical engineering from Texas Technological University in Lubbock in 1949. During the Korean War, he served as a ballistics engineer designing and testing U.S. Air Force and Army munitions. On April 21, 1951, he married Archer County native, Marie Pryor in Archer City. Jack joined the Archer County Historical Commission in 1966 and had served as its chairman. This organization is one of the most active in Texas. During this time, he discovered, exposed, marked and preserved hundreds of historical sites and worked on the book "Trails Through Archer" some 13 years. He was a member of the West Texas Historical Commission and was president in 1977. He put together the artifacts in the Archer County Museum in 1974. Jack has cross-trailed over Archer literally hundreds of times to collect, authenticate, edit and finally to write the first general history of Archer County. He followed the Indians, the Spanish and French as well as the historic Marcy expedition and pioneer ranchers and then farmers who paved the way for Twentieth Century Archer County. He also set his historic sights on the communities, the school and the churches of Archer and then reined off into side paths over the rolling prairies of the north central Texas grasslands county to tell of ghost towns, oil fields, forgotten cemeteries and murders. He followed animal paths, trails, farm roads and highway through Archer and into adjoining counties. He also mapped locations of early day schools, and statistical information as the 1880 census for Archer County, along with lists of county officials, school teachers, physicians, postmasters, war veterans and others. Jack authenticated placements of hundreds of historical markers for the state of Texas. He censused and put into book form six county cemeteries. Jack was an avid fossil hunter who learned under the tutelage of renowned paleontologist Dr. Alfred P. Romer from Harvard. He guided many students of the University of Bonn in Germany and students of Canada on extensive fossil hunts. He spoke at several schools and groups on his findings. Jack was a member of the First Baptist Church where he served as a deacon since January 1958. He was preceded in death by his son, Stuart Loftin, on Aug. 10, 1968. Survivors: His wife of 63 years, Marie; daughters, Leah Wilton and husband, Bonsall, and Ellen Heckle and husband, Mark; son, Craig Loftin and friend, Marie Vanderpool; grandsons, Ryan Luig and wife, Laci, Garrett Luig and wife, Rae, and Jacob Loftin and wife, Stacy; and four great-grandchildren, Stuart, Layne, Claire and Paige Luig.
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I hauled hay for Jack back in the early 1980's and had the opportunity to talk with him when I worked summers and weekends at the Berend Brothers Feed Store. I was always fascinated by his passion for history. What a blessing for Archer County to host, at least for a time, this passionate man.
Brad Pippin
Other
November 7, 2023
Many a time since Jack's passing I wish that I could call him for an answer that I need.
Max Brown
Friend
February 18, 2023
Jack was always willing to help on Historical questions and ready to give talks on many subjects. His cemetery books are the best around and helped untold numbers of people I use mine weekly.
max brown
Acquaintance
February 18, 2021
Dearest Marie you and Jack always made me feel so welcome in your home. I so enjoy our hours of talk and will never forget both the knowledge and smiles I left with.
polly mullinnex
February 26, 2015
Many blessings to your family. Jack Loftin performed a great service to the residents of Archer County and its surrounds, as well as all persons interested in the history of Texas, the West, and indigenous persons. Just today my son, a great, great grandson of Dr. R.O. Prideaux, presented a Texas history project relating to Archer County and its connections to the Texas War of Independence such as Holliday Creek and Branch Tanner Archer. Jack's book was his primary source.
Ellison Hurt
February 26, 2015
Jack was a great historian and willing to provide help in all things old. He spoke to the Montague County Genealogy Society several times and the last time a few years ago we showed him an arrow on the ground made of rocks point to Queens Peak which is thought to have been made by Marcy.
Max Brown
February 26, 2015
Marie & family,
So sorry for your loss, you are in our prayers.
Gary & Cindy (Oliver) Potts
Cindy Potts
February 26, 2015
Marie & family,
You are in our thoughts and prayers.
Bobby & Mary Jackson
February 25, 2015
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