John "Jack" H O'Donnell

John H. O'Donnell, Jr. (Jack) was born in Birmingham, Alabama on July 27, 1930, and was the eldest son of J. Huber and Susan Flemming O'Donnell. He grew up in Birmingham, attending St. Paul's School from kindergarten through high school. After graduating from Birmingham Southern College with a B.A. degree in May 1951 he entered the U.S. Navy’s Officer Candidate Program and was commissioned an Ensign in the U.S. Navy Reserve. He served as a Naval Gunfire Liaison Officer with Marine Corp units in East Asia, Europe, and the Caribbean. Following duty with the Marines, he was assigned to the destroyer USS. Stockham as navigator. Jack was released to inactive duty in July 1955. In August 1955 he married the love of his life, Margaret Ann (Cinny) Sample of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The newly married couple then relocated to Tuscaloosa, AL where Jack enrolled in the University of Alabama School of Law, graduating in January 1958. Upon graduation, he was appointed Law Clerk to the Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court where he served until February 1959. He then accepted a regular commission in the U.S. Navy as a Special Duty Only Law officer and was recalled to active duty. His duty stations as a lawyer included commands in Newport, R.I., Jacksonville, FL, London, England, Washington, D.C.; and Pensacola, FL. He retired as a Captain; Judge Advocate General's Corps. Jack took the reins of The Navy Alcohol Safety Action Program (NASAP) at the University of West Florida, a worldwide educational program. In January 1983 when NASAP relocated, Jack began teaching in the Legal Assistant Program at the (then) Pensacola Junior College. He officially retired from the College in 2003 but continued to teach courses in Criminal Law, Torts, and Legal Research on a part time basis until 2019.

Jack had many passions including books, camellias, travel and music. He was a long-time member of the Cantonment Rotary Club, the Pensacola Camellia Club and was on the Pensacola Symphony Board. He served as President of his Rotary Chapter and was a Paul Harris Fellow with over 44 years of perfect attendance. He also served as President of the Camellia Club on three separate occasions. He was actively involved in his community and was named a PJC Leader and Legend in Education.

Jack is survived by his loving wife of over 69 years, Cinny; his three children John (Tammy), Richard (Grace) and Susan; eight grandchildren Kathleen (Korben) Casteneda, Shannon O’Donnell, John (T) O’Donnell, John (R.) O’Donnell, Andrew O’Donnell, Teresa (David) Manning, Margaret (Trey) Hildebrand, and Will Manning as well as four great grandchildren Savanna Carr, John Hildebrand, Joseph Hildebrand and Amos Kleis. His surviving siblings are Mary Sue Cooney, Barbara Powell, Harriet (Bobby) Bischoff, Michael O’Donnell, Maureen (Jerry) and Carolyn (Bruce) Erhardt.

Funeral services for Jack will be held Monday, May 12, 2025 from 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm at Oak Lawn Funeral Home, 619 New Warrington Road, Pensacola, FL 32506. Following the funeral service will be a committal service from 2:00pm to 2:30 pm at Barrancas National Cemetery, 1 Cemetery Rd. Pensacola, FL 32508