Jack Leroy Saxton

JACK LEROY SAXTON PASSED AWAY ON JUNE 15, 2020. HE WAS BORN IN HARRISBURG, PA ON APRIL 3,1948 TO ROBERT AND DORIS SAXTON. HIS PARENTS MOVED FOR A BRIEF PERIOD TO KEY WEST, AND EVENTUALLY SETTLED IN GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA. JACK MET THE LOVE OF HIS LIFE, CAROL, IN GAINESVILLE AT THE UNIVERISTY OF FLORIDA AND ON DECEMBER 15, 1968 THEY WERE MARRIED. VERY FEW COUPLES ARE LUCKY ENOUGH TO FIND THEIR TRUE SOULMATE. IN NOVEMBER OF 1969 HE ENLISTED IN THE U S NAVY AND SERVED HIS COUNTRY FOR FOUR YEARS. DURING THIS TIME, HE WAS STATIONED IN PUERTO RICO WHERE HIS DAUGHTER, KIMBERLY WAS BORN. AFTER HIS TENURE IN THE MILTARY HE SETTLED IN PENSACOLA AND FINISHED HIS B.S. DEGREE IN BIOLOGY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WEST FLORIDA IN 1975 AND CONTINUED WITH GRADUATE STUDIES IN BIOCHEMISTRY FROM 1975 TO 1985. AFTER COLLEGE, HE WORKED FOR THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS FROM 1977-1979. THEN, HE ACCEPTED A DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE POSITION AS A RESEARCHER FOR THF NAVAL AEORSPACE RESEARCH LAB AT NAS UNTIL HIS RETIREMENT. DURING THIS TIME, HE WAS INVOLVED WITH NUMEROUS RESEARCH PROJECTS AND PUBLICATIONS IN WHICH HE WAS EITHER THE PRINCIPAL OR ASSOCIATE INVESTIGATOR. FOR A FEW YEARS AFTER HIS RETIREMENT, HE WORKED PART-TIME AT WEST FLORIDA HOSPITAL AND BAPTIST HOSPITAL AS A CERTIFIED LABORTORY TECHNICIAN SPECIFIC TO CHEMISTRY ANALYSIS. JACK LOVED SPENDING TIME WITH HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS. HE WAS A TALENTED WOOD CARVER; (SPECIALIZING IN MARINE LIFE), CERTIFIED SUBA DIVER, AND AVID GOLF ENTHUSIAST. HE LOVED COLLEGE FOOTBALL, "GO GATORS", AND ENJOYED TRAVELING ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY IN THE FAMILY MOTORHOME AFFECTIONATELY CALLED “THE DREAM MACHINE”. JACK IS SURVIVED BY HIS LOVING WIFE CAROL OF 51 YEARS, HIS DAUGHTER KIMBERLY SAXTON, AND HIS BROTHER ROBERT SAXTON. JACK TRULY HAD A LIFE WELL LIVED. In lieu of flowers, please make memorials to the Wounded Warrior Project, https://secure.uso.org/woundedwarriors/donate or to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, ALSAC/St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 in Jack’s memory. Visitation will be Tuesday, June 30, 2020 at Faith Chapel Funeral Home South begining at 9:00 a.m. with a memorial service at 10:00 a.m. Inurnment will be at Barrancas National Cemetery at 11:30 a.m. FAITH CHAPEL FUNERAL HOME SOUTH, 100 Beverly Pkwy, is entrusted with the arrangements. You may express your condolences online at www.fcfhs.com

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Jack Leroy Saxton

April 3, 1948 - June 15, 2020