Jack Claude Marion, age 86, died Monday, September 3, 2018, at his home in Houston, Texas, following a brief illness.

He is survived by his wife of 42 years, Diana Garcia Marion; his daughters, Cana Meola and Michelle Evans; and his sons, John Marion, Spencer Marion, and Kevin Marion.

He was born in Dallas in 1932, the son of Catherine Denson and Luther (Jack) Marion.

In his early years in Texas City, Jack enjoyed playing football, softball, and war games with boys in the neighborhood. He would sometimes grab empty milk bottles from the back of a grocery store to bring around front to get a nickel to go see a cowboy movie and eat some popcorn. He survived the Texas City explosion and on every anniversary would recount the events of that day, how he narrowly escaped death and the destruction he encountered. In high school he was elected junior class and senior class president and lettered in football as the starting center. He went to the University of Houston on a football scholarship, but decided to enlist in the air force after his freshman year.

Jack served as a radio operator stationed in Okinawa during the Korean war. He played on his base's football team and won the South Pacific super bowl against other US bases. Upon his return from service, he began a career in Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as an air traffic controller. His time as a radio operator and subsequent FAA air traffic controller defined his purpose in life and gave him tons of pride. He relished the friends he made and the copious stories generated from that period of his life.

He married Diana in 1976 and they settled in Houston, Texas. He retired from the FAA in June 1977. Jack, then went back to college and completed his college degree in Criminal Justice.  After graduation, he tried very hard to fail his interview with the Conroe Probation Department, but they offered him a position because they needed "an older person to deal with some of their tough cases." Jack enjoyed 10 years working in probation (especially when assigned to Judge Olan Underwood's court) before retiring to be a stay at home dad.

During his time as "Mr. Mom", he enjoyed taking the children to and from school, cooking meals with varying degrees of quality, attempting to do laundry, yard work, bargain shopping at the grocery store, avoiding every line while completing his honey-do list, and relaxing/reading/watching TV to end his day.

Jack had a passion for football, the Astros, crime shows, Judge Judy, Frank Sinatra (including Lady Gaga covers), his family, friends of all ages and most of all, the love of his life for 48 years, Diana.

More than anything, Jack loved to gather as many friends and family as possible around the back deck, drink a Jim Beam and water, and tell stories well past dinner time. He loved life, his family, good friends, and retelling the stories that made his life worth living.

Friends are invited to visit with the family from 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday, September 9, at Klein Funeral Home - Champions, 16131 Champion Forest Drive, Spring, TX 77379, where a Time of Sharing will begin at 6:30 p.m. A Funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, September 10, at Prince of Peace Catholic Community, 19222 Tomball Parkway, Houston, TX 77070, followed by burial with military honors at 1:15 p.m. at Houston National Cemetery.

Family and Friends

The clock is clicking for this old man,

The timepiece is dripping the historical sand,

My health is holding, I do believe,

I count my blessing, as a part of me;

My wealth is counted in family and friends,

The sum of both, has no end;

As the years roll by, its normal to say

Thank you lord, for showing the way,

Without your help, I would hate to see,

My overall condition and where I would be,

Looking at the future, I really like to do,

It involves warm feelings and love, plus me and you,

To end this poem I know not how,

While loving my family and friends, I take a bow