‘Jack’ Tarbutton, 84, passes away Oct. 26
Services for James W. “Jack” Tarbutton, 84, of Salado were held at 10 a.m. Oct. 29 at Harper-Talasek Funeral Home in Salado with Pastor Grady Brittain of Salado United Methoist Church officiating.
Tarbutton passed away Oct. 26, 2002.
Burial was in the Salado Cemetery. Honoroary pallbearers were Dr. Wayne Baden, Earl (Pete) Creasey, James Falkner, Harley Grimm, Jack Knox, and James Lee.
Tarbutton was born April 17,1918 in Paletine, TX to James Wlford and Gladys DuPuy Tarbutton. He attended public schools in Palestine, Lufkin, Houston and Brenham. He graduated from Brenam High School in 1936 and later attended Oklahom A&M (now Oklahoma State University).
Jack married Elizabeth Fletcher in Houston in 1940 and they made their home in Houston. During Word War II he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps and trained as an aviation cadet. Upon completing training he was assigned to combat duty in the European Theater flying the Marin B-26 Marauder medium bomber. On Oct. 19, 1944 Jack was shot down by German fighter aircraft over Italy and evaded the enemy for several days before being captured. He was placed in a German prisoner of war camp and remained a POW until the end of the war. Jack was awarded the Purple Heart, the French Croix de Guierre and several other medals.
After the end of the war he returned to the business world in Houston, spending most of his career with the Whirlpool Corporation of Benton Harbor, Michigan. He retired in 1982 and he and his wife moved to Salado where they established a permanent residence. While living in Salado Jack became very active in the Salado Lions Club and served as president. He was the founder of the Lions Club Salado telephone directory. He assumed responsibility for the first two publication of the directory, and the directory ha been published at two year intervals ever since. It has become the major fund raiser for the Lions Club and generates funds which are used to help the Lions Club provide various community and other services. He was a recipient of the Salado Lions Club Lion of the Year Award, which i it highest award for distinguished service.
Survivors are his wife, Elizabeth “Tag” Tarbutton of Salado; three children, Nancy T. Wells of Memphis, TN; Jimmy Tarbutton of Henderson, TN and Stephen Spear of Memphis, TN; three grandhildren, Gonna Huskins of Gallatin, TN, David Wells of Germantown, TN and Drew Spear of Memphis, TN; three great-grandchildren, Rachel and Megan Wells of Germantown, TN and Savannah Shrum of Gallain, TN; and one brother Jean Tarbutton of Salado.
Memorials may be made to Salado United Methodist Church Building Fund, P.O. Box 771, Salado, TX 76571, or to a charity of choice.