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JOHN E. HART

John E. Hart, 86, of Panama City, went to be with his Lord on Wednesday, January 7, 2009. John was born in Linton, Indiana on March 8, 1922. He was raised by his schoolteacher parents in a community of farmers and coal miners, and worked farming jobs during summers off from school. He was a good student and enjoyed playing basketball. After attending a year at Perdue University, he joined the Naval Reserve and attended radio school. After passing the 3rd class exam, he was assigned to the USS Yorktown as a radio operator. After being recommended for the Naval Academy Prep Class Exam and passing, he completed the Class and was appointed to the Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD. Upon graduation in 1945 he was assigned to the USS West Virginia and deployed to the war zone. In 1946 he was assigned as Navigator of a minesweeper. After training he was given command of a minesweeper which was based in Panama City at the Navy Mine Countermeasures Station. Here he met Sue Childs, and they married in Dothan, AL on March 8, 1947. John completed Basic flight training in Pensacola, FL in 1948, and Advanced flight training in Corpus Christi, TX where he earned his Navy wings and was ordered to Norfolk, VA. In 1950 John was accepted to graduate school in Annapolis, MD, which later moved to Monterey, CA. He earned his MS in Engineering Electronics in June 1953 and was assigned to a carrier squadron in Norfolk, VA. After a 4 year tour he was selected to be an Aeronautical Engineering Duty Officer in Washington DC. He also took an assignment in Japan from 1958-61. In 1961 he went to the Navy Lab in PA. After retiring from active duty in 1964, he worked for Texas Instruments for a year before taking a post at NCSC back in Panama City, where he worked until his retirement in 1986. John enjoyed the Navy life, bowling leagues, raising 4 children with his wife Sue, and being involved in Forest Park UMC. John sang in the choir, served on various committees, was treasurer of the UMMen, and was on the board of Noah's Ark Beach Ministry for many years. He was preceded in death by his brother, Don, a son, Stephen and his wife, Sue Childs Hart. He is survived by his son Ken Hart (Jenny), daughter Margie Goshert (Phil) daughter Melissa Gregg (Steven); grandchildren Hope Parsons (Wes), Corrie Church (Ian), Katie Hart, Mitchell Goshert, and Christian, Samuel and Joseph Gregg; great-grandson Charles Benjamin Parsons; and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews. Visitation will be held at Wilson Funeral Home from 4-6 pm on Saturday, Jan. 10th. Funeral services will be held Sunday, Jan. 11th at 3 pm at Forest Park United Methodist Church. Interment will follow in Forest Lawn Cemetery. Donations in his memory may be made to the Forest Park UMC Building Fund or Noah's Ark Beach Ministries.

Wilson Funeral Home