John H. Mack

John H. Mack, age 83, born in San Antonio on November 8, 1918, died on Wednesday, March 6, 2002. While in Highland Park Grade school, his parents, George and Lorena Ware Mack, moved to the Valley where he attended school in San Benito and Brownsville. He graduated from high school in Del Rio, TX in 1936. Mack graduated from UT Austin in 1941 and returned to San Antonio to work at Kelly Field. When war was declared, he enlisted in the US Army and was assigned to the 90th Infantry Division. He participated in all five battles in the European Theater including Normandy and the Battle of the Bulge as well as serving in the occupation forces in Germany. He was then selected to participate in a goodwill study program at the Sorbonne University in Paris for six weeks. He was discharged four years after he enlisted. He met Bettye Chachere in Oct. 1945 and they were married June 22, 1946 in San Antonio. They had two children, J. David Mack and M. Diane Mack. David married Jane Lloyd who have 3 children, Robert David Mack, Jeremy Ryan Mack and Elizabeth Diane Mack. Diane married Richard Cantrell. Additional survivors include: one sister, Virginia Gordon Goff and her husband Elbert Goff of Wharton County; niece, Jan Gordon Goff and her husband Kenneth and their daughters, Adrienne and Shanna. He embraced Bettye's family as his own which included her 6 brothers of Louisiana and their wives and families. He was devoted to his family and considered each as a very special and precious gift. Mack was very proud to be a 5th generation Texan. He was a descendent of William Ware who came to Texas in 1825. Ware fought with Ben Milam and aided in the defense of San Antonio in the Siege of Bexar against General Cos. Ware was one of the 22 captains with Sam Houston at the Battle of San Jacinto. Mack was a member of the Sons of the Republic of Texas, Sons of the American Revolution, San Jacinto Descendants and Magna Carta Barons. From 1946 to 1986, he worked in the insurance business. He was a general agent with Quirk and Co, a local agent with Jacob Rubiola Ins. Co., and retired after 31 years with the General Adjustment Bureau, where he was an adjuster, manager, and general adjuster. He enjoyed helping people in need and distress and was always active in church as an elder at Sunset Ridge Church of Christ. The family would like to thank Dr. Charles Andrews, Dr. Robert Schnitzler, Dr. Randy Singleton, and Dr. Lawrence Hoberman for the special care that they have given him for many years and extend their gratitude to the staff at Parklane West Health Care Center.