Jack Wayne Motley

Jack Wayne Motley, 81 years old, of Pensacola, Florida passed away on January 31, 2024. He was born in Opelika, Alabama on August 13, 1942, to his mother Sara Motley Pope. His father, Allen Odell Motley, died 3 months prior to Jacky’s birth. His mother later married James Otis Pope and they moved to Pensacola in 1956.

Jack was raised Methodist and was a member of Warrington Methodist Church for many years. He once said that he would have liked to become a Methodist minister. But, as fate would have it, his career was much different from that.

Jack graduated from Escambia High School in 1961, from Pensacola Junior College, and from the University of West Florida in 1973, where he received a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education. He was a born athlete and loved to compete. He played baseball for many years prior to joining the Army in 1963, and while in the Army, he was a member of the Army’s baseball team. He was stationed in Augusta, Georgia at Fort Gordon, in Korea, and Fort Rucker in Daleville, Alabama. His daughter, Laura Motley Young, was born while he was stationed at Fort Gordon.

Jack was a Master in Tae Kwon Do, Karate, and Udo. He was a ranked karate competitor and founding member of the Southeastern Karate Association (SEKA). He trained under Tae Kwon Do masters while in the Army stationed in Korea. Jack excelled in karate competition, he was a winner of 13 grand championships, including the Battle of Atlanta in 1972. He was frequently featured in Black Belt Magazine, and contributed to many other nationally publicized magazines. After returning to the United States he opened numerous Jack Motley Karate Studios in Florida: Pensacola, Fort Walton, Milton, Artmore and Mobile, Alabama, He taught thousands of students, law enforcement officers, boxers and accomplished karate competitors. He loved teaching children. Jack married Lenora Landrum on October 11, 1980, and together they had a son, Jack Landrum Motley.

Jack was preceded in death by his mother, Sara Pope, his father Odell Motley, and his stepfather Otis Pope.

He is survived by his wife Lenora, his son Jack Landrum Motley and his wife Samantha, his daughter Laura Motley Young and her husband Scott, his two grandsons Jack Hayward Motley and James Cody Luker, his sister Janice Motley Craft (husband Randy deceased) and his nephews Douglas and Paul Craft and their families.

Jack was known for his love of family, karate, baseball, and horses. He will be truly missed by all that benefited from his knowledge of sports and forever missed by his family.

A celebration of life will be held at Oak Lawn Funeral Home, 619 New Warrington Road Pensacola, FL 32506, on Monday, February 12, 2024, from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM. Visitation with the family will be at Oak Lawn Funeral Home prior to services from 10:00AM to 12:00PM. Interment will follow at Barrancas National Cemetery at Pensacola NAS, 1 Cemetery Road, Pensacola, FL 32508.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made, in honor of Jack, to the Dementia Society of America: https://dementiasociety.charityproud.org/donate. PO Box 600

Doylestown, PA 18901

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.oaklawnfunerals.com for the Motley family.