Jack Hood

On the evening of Saturday, February 28, 2026, perfect number, 7, planets aligned flawlessly to usher into heaven our beloved husband, dad, Pop, brother, uncle, and friend, Rev. Jack Hood. He passed away at the home he loved in the state he loved with the family he loved around him after a two year battle with Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Jack, 78, was born on Feb 10, 1948, in Herrin, IL to John Thomas and Margie (Hubbard) Hood, the fourth of five children. Jack married his high school sweetheart, Candace (Candy) Thomas in West Frankfort on October 8, 1966. He was an honest, gentle and devoted man whose life reflected unwavering faith in his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and a profound love for his family, neighbors, and friends. He had a high-standard work ethic and could fix anything anytime for anyone who needed him, loved baseball and the STL Cardinals. He was a southpaw and pitched in the West Frankfort city leagues as well as the American Legion. Scouts were often in the stands watching him pitch. Jack gave his heart to Jesus in 1967, called into the ministry in 1968, ordained into the Church of God (Anderson IN) movement in 1969 as well as beginning his 34-year coal mining occupation with Old Ben Coal Company, Kerr McGee Coal and American Coal Company from where he retired from coal mining in 2003. He was the youth leader at the Heights Church of God in the 1970s and lead singer of the gospel quartet, Sweet Spirit Singers. He became a bi-vocational minister in the early 1980s pastoring churches in KY, and IL then becoming a full time pastor in 2005 at Silver Lake Community Church in Leesburg, FL from where he retired in 2015. Jack and Candy moved to Lake County FL in July 2004 from Southern Illinois. Jack is survived by his wife of 59.5 years, Candace, of Tavares FL; daughter, Dawn (Nelson) King of Umatilla FL; grandchildren, Kaylee (Wade) Williams of Tunnel Hill GA, Taylor Hood (fiancé Wesley) of West Frankfort, Jerry Ray (Haleigh) Wilson, II of West Frankfort, Savannah Harris (fiancé Sam) of Lansing MI, and Jordan (Kevin) Puckett of Galatia IL; great grandchildren, Alex, Aaliyah, Nolan, Reese, Christian, Freya, Jensen, Cylas, and a grandson expected in August 2026; brothers JT (Charlotte) of Rainsville AL, Gary (Twyla) of West Frankfort, sister Jane (Dale) Jones of McDonough GA; special brother-in-law, Eddie Paul Davis of Benton IL; many in-laws, nieces and nephews. Jack was preceded in death by his daughter Dee Hood Wilson, parents, sister Sandi Davis, nephew Steve Davis and brother-in-law, Don Thomas. In lieu of flowers, please donate blood and/or platelets to your local blood bank, and/or monetary donations to the American Cancer Society, or memorial contribution to the Heights Church of God. Visitation from 10a to 1p on Saturday, March 7, 2026 with Celebration of life service immediately following at the Heights Church of God, corner of Clark and Cherry Sts, in West Frankfort. Pastor Rodney Briscoe officiating. Burial in Tower Heights Cemetery, West Frankfort IL