LTC. John H. Anderson U.S. Army, retired

Funeral services will be held at 1:00pm on Friday, August 1, 2014, in the chapel at Fuqua-Bankston Funeral Home with Reverend Jim Duhaime officiating. Visitation will be at the funeral home Friday beginning at noon until time of funeral service. Burial will take place at a later date at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va.

The family requests active and retired members of the Armed Forces wear their uniforms to the funeral service.

John was born in Brooklyn, NY, to the late Alexander P. and Elizabeth M. Anderson on October 3, 1929. After graduating from James Madison High School, he went to work at the International Air Transport Association. It was there he met the love of his life, Mary Kraus. After being drafted into the Army and rising to the rank of Second Lieutenant, he and Mary were wed at Fort Hamilton, NY, in 1952. Together they enjoyed his assignments at Fort Lewis, WA; Gary Air Force Base, TX; Camp Rucker, AL; Mainz, Germany; Fort Bliss, TX; Fort Rucker, AL; Fort Sill, OK; Omaha, NE; and Fort Leavenworth, KS. John also had one combat tour in Korea and two combat tours in Vietnam. Eventually, John and Mary settled in Ozark, AL.

Some of his numerous decorations from his Army service include: Legion of Merit, Bronze Star with Valor, Purple Heart, Air Medal, Army Commendation Medal, and National Defense Service Medal and attained the Master Army Aviator Badge.

Following his retirement from the Army as a Lieutenant Colonel, John was hired, along with 1st Sargent Mel Fairchild, to establish the Daleville High School Junior ROTC program in 1971. As Senior Army Instructor, John served as the rifle team coach and led his teams to numerous local, regional, and national championships. He worked closely with students to develop their leadership skills and to help them further their education. These actions resulted in many of his students acquiring college scholarships as well as many appointments to Military Service Academies. John retired from Daleville High School in 1992.

John was active in many Army and civic organizations during his life, to include serving as President of the Fort Rucker Chapter of The Retired Officers’ Association. In his post-retirement years he also served as the Senior Information Officer for the shooting competitions at the 1996 Summer Olympics held in Atlanta, Georgia.

John was pre-deceased by Mary, his loving wife of 61 years. He is survived by one daughter, Ginny Anderson, Montgomery, AL; two sons and daughters-in-law, John and Lynn Anderson, Raleigh, NC; Scott and Tommye Anderson, Atlanta, GA; two granddaughters, Leslie Anderson and Jenna Anderson; three step-grandsons, Jeffery Craddock, Elijah Craddock, and SPC Shane Craddock; one niece, Liz (Ed) Hawks and one grandniece, Alexys.

The family extends special thanks to the CVICU nurses at Baptist Hospital South and the staff of Fuqua-Bankston Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions be made to Daleville High School JROTC Rifle team (http://goo.gl/hWrrXO) the Wounded Warrior Project (www.woundedwarriorproject.org), or USA Shooting (www.usashooting.org).

Fuqua-Bankston Funeral Home in Ozark (334) 774-4551 is in charge of the arrangements. Members of the Dignity Memorial network. Condolences may be offered at www.fuquabankston.com.