John Russell Horton

John Russell Horton, 91, died Thursday, January 4, 2018 at the Hillcrest House in Dallas, Texas. John was born on February 18, 1926, in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, to Jake and Ella Floyd Horton. He lived in Tuscaloosa until he was eight years old and then moved to Chumuckla, Florida. He attended Chumuckla High School where he played basketball.

In 1943, at 17, John convinced his mother to allow him to enlist in the Navy and was trained as a Pharmacist’s Mate. He was assigned to the USS Sheridan and participated in seven landings in the Pacific including the invasions of Tarawa, Saipan, Kwajalein, Guam, two different landings in the Philippines and was at Okinawa but did not go ashore. His ship was in Tokyo Bay on the day the surrender documents were signed. He was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps and Bronze Star Medals for gallantry in evacuating wounded on the first day of the invasion of Tarawa. He was discharged from active duty in January 1947.

Returning to Pensacola, Florida, after the war, he met and married Elaine Manning and they had two daughters, Brenda and Sandy. John spent many years working for Sherrill & Pure Oil Company in Pensacola before starting his own company, Horton Energy Products. John loved Alabama football, golf, catfish and his daughters and grandkids to whom he was known as Pops. We are most appreciative that he lived the last two years of his life in Dallas, Texas, where his great-grandson came to know and love him, just as his grandkids did.

John was predeceased by his parents and brother, Jacob. He is survived by his daughters, Brenda Elias (Matthew) of Dallas, Texas, and Sandy Smith (Timothy) of Leesburg, Virginia; four grandchildren, Claire Elias Gordon (Jeff) and Sarah Elias of Dallas, Amanda West Jones (Pete) of Panama City, Florida, and Johnathan West of Arlington, Virginia, one great grandson, Matthew Gordon and his sister in law, Frances Horton of Pensacola, Florida.

Graveside services and burial with full military honors will be held at 10:00 AM on Friday, January 12, at Barrancas National Cemetery. Family and friends will depart Olive Baptist Church (the old Warrington Baptist Church), 103 West Winthrop Ave, Pensacola, Florida, at 9:15 AM to travel to the graveside services. National Cremation and Burial Society is entrusted with the arrangements.