More detail on this person: LTC (Ret.) John H. Anderson of Ozark passed away Saturday, July 19,
2014, at Baptist Hospital South in Montgomery, AL, as a result of complications from surgery. He was
84 years of age.
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
This information was last updated 04/21/2017
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Date posted on this site: 01/11/2025
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