Jack Clyde Vandegrift, 1940-2020 , passed away December 28 from complications of Alzheimer's.  We rejoice that he now has a glorified body/mind and is in heaven with his risen Savior Jesus Christ.

Jack was born in El Dorado, AR and grew up there playing football, throwing a paper route and loving the outdoors.  He never met a stranger, looked everyone in the eye when he shook their hand and whistled a great tune.  Jack attended college on a football scholarship first at the University of Arkansas, then at Louisiana Tech where he graduated with a B.S. in Forestry.  He was a member of Kappa Sigma fraternity.  He told great stories of his summers hitchhiking across the country to work in the Minnesota Pea Harvest, working at "handicamp" with disabled kids, and memorizing and practicing the Latin names of trees.  He went on to LSU to earn a Master's degree in Forestry, and loved his work in the woods.  As measured by the variety of paint on his clothes and truck, he was the best forester in all the land.  His booming voice, tall stature and zest for life made him easy to find and follow.   Jack served in the United States Marine Corps, and then spent the majority of his adult life in Jasper, Tx.  He worked for the Weirgate Lumber Company, Kirby Lumber Company and later founded Integrity Management and Hilltop Timber Company.  He was a steadfast member of the First United Methodist Church, serving in many roles from Sunday School Teacher, to youth leader, to bus driver for UM Army service trips to the Board of Trustees.  Jack loved all flavors of ice cream, drove out of his way for a good lemon lime slush or Popeye's jambalaya and was constantly in search of a good deal.  He loved all people, was eternally optimistic, an incredibly hard worker and an avid reader.  He was loyal to a fault, a bull in a china shop and steadfast in his commitments.

Jack was a faithful Christ follower all his life, a devoted father of five girls and loving husband.  He was the quintessential honorable businessman, running the forestry management company he created with the daunting name Integrity Management.  He was fair and honest in his dealings with everyone.  He was one of those rare people who was completely comfortable in his own skin and made everyone around him feel loved and welcomed.  He could relate to the bank president just as easily as he could relate to the salt-of-the-earth logger.  He treated all people with respect and dignity. He gave everyone who knew him a great example to follow.  We are sad to see him go, but he has been gone for quite some time as dementia slowly took away the man we once knew.

Jack was preceded in death by his step-daughter Jill Hartman, his niece Lee Ellen Vandegrift Felts and his parents Anna Lee Vandegrift and CD Vandegrift. Jack leaves behind a host of family and friends including his wife, Sue Ellen, daughters: Johanna (Conrad), Allison (Alex), Mary Virginia (John) and Katy (Michael), as well as 10 grandchildren: Grace, Hannah, Mary Michaela, Jacylyn, Logan, Jackson, Maggie, Brock, Daniel and Hope.  He will be deeply missed by his brother Tom and wife Nancy as well as sister Deanna as well as a gaggle of adoring nieces and nephews.  We are blessed to have known him and are forever grateful for the life lessons and love he shared.

Please join us in celebrating his life and rejoicing in his place in eternity.  A small family burial will take place near his home in Kansas and for those who would like to join in from home you can do so by clicking the following link - https://www.facebook.com/heritagefuneralhomesandover .  We also look forward to sharing stories about Jack and remembering him fondly with a celebration of life in his cherished Jasper, Texas home later this summer.  Donations and remembrances are welcome at Alzheimer's Foundation (act.alz.org).  In lieu of flowers, please plant a tree!