- Date Of Birth: November 17, 1930
- Date Of Death: October 10, 2018
- State: Illinois
John Walton Hackett, 87, known as “Jack” to family and friends, died October 10, 2018, at Passavant Area Hospital.
He was born in Jacksonville in 1930, the son of John T. and Helen Walton Hackett. He attended local schools until his junior year of high school when he transferred to Kemper Military Academy, graduating in 1948. He attended Carleton College in Northfield, MN, and Illinois College before serving in Korea and the Western Pacific as an Air Force pilot. He married Mary Ann Gibbs in 1952, during his service in the Air Force, and they lived nearly three years in Japan. Upon returning to Jacksonville, Jack actively continued his interest in aviation and in 1962 was appointed to the Airport Authority. He became Chairman and was instrumental in designing the new airport master plan, building the new terminal building, instrument landing electronics, and bringing airline service to the community. He also served as an Officer of the Illinois Public Airports Association. The love of flying dominated his life, so Jack was especially pleased when his three sons became pilots. In 2005, he was given the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award by the Federal Aviation Administration.
Jack’s professional career was divided between Walton’s and the City Garden for over forty years. His community participation included serving as a member of various advisory boards for Jacksonville Mayors Byron Holkenbrink and Ron Tendick, and Illinois Governor Richard Oglivie. He was a director of the YMCA, the Chamber of Commerce, Barton Stone Christian Home, and vice president of the National Association of Retail Dealers of America. He was a lifelong member of Jacksonville Rotary. In retirement, he shared his knowledge of business analysis, and enjoyed reading history and biography, especially WWII subjects.
He is survived by his wife, Mary Ann; his sons, John G. of St. Louis, Missouri, James W. (Diane) of Hilton Head, South Carolina, and Stevan S. (Cathy) of Jacksonville, Illinois; four grandsons: Chad, Daniel (Rachel), John K., and David; one granddaughter, Katherine; a great-grandson, Landon; and a sister, Sue A. Hackett of Jacksonville.
