Capt. John Baile Kackley USN Ret died peacefully on Nov 15, 2010 in Jacksonville FL. Born in Miami Florida on Nov 4, 1915, the son of Walter John and Hilda Baile Kackley. His maternal grandparents, John Charles and Rose Williams Baile were pioneer Miamians from Missouri. He spent his childhood in Miami and Atlanta, graduating from Boy's High School in Atlanta. He majored in Civil Engineering at Georgia Tech, where he was a member of Kappa Sigma, numerous honor societies, commander of 1st Company NROTC and editor of the Yellow Jacket. After graduating with honors in 1937, he was commissioned in the Navy Supply Corps. His first assignment was on the USS Pennsylvania. Next he was Assistant Naval Attache' to the American Embassy in London, serving during the Battle of Britain. He met Flora McDougal and they married in 1942. Shortly thereafter, he was assigned as Division Director in the Bureau of Supplies and Accounts in Washington DC. In 1943, he and Flora had a beautiful daughter, Diana. After promotion to LCDR, he was assigned as Supply Officer aboard the battleship USS Alabama in the Pacific, ending the war in Tokyo with the rank of CDR. In 1946 he went to Harvard Business School, during which time he and Flora separated. After receiving an MBA at Harvard (with Distinction), he served as Executive Officer of the Naval Supply Depot, Bayonne, NJ. Next he was assigned to the newly formed Office of Comptroller of the Navy, and then became Aide and Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of the Navy. In 1954, he married Eleanor Carmack, gaining a lovely daughter, Catherine. Soon they left for Japan, where he served on staff of Commander Naval Forces Far East/UN Naval Forces Korea. Son Charles was born in 1956 in Yokosuka. As CAPT, assignments were Navy Area Audit Office in NYC; Auditor General of the Navy in Washington; Commanding Officer of Naval Supply Depot in Subic Bay; Executive Officer of Naval Supply Center in Oakland, CA; and Comptroller of Naval Shipyard in Charleston, SC. In 1967, after 30 years of active duty he retired to accept an appointment as senior financial officer at the Food and Agricultural Organization of the UN in Rome, Italy. From there he retired in 1972 to Naples FL. He and Eleanor were active in the First Presbyterian Church, sailed the Gulf waters in their boat, and travelled the world. His civic activities included Commodore of the Gulf Coast Sailing Club, President of the Royal Harbor Association, President of the Retired Officers Club, President of the Collier County Horticultural Advisory Council, Executive Board member and Sailing Fleet Captain of the Naples Sailing and Yacht Club. He was active in Georgia Tech alumni affairs as a member of the Founders Council, and in 1996 was inducted into the Georgia Tech Engineering Hall of Fame. In 1997, he and Eleanor moved to Cypress Village in Jacksonville FL. They joined the Palms Presbyterian Church and continued their world travels. John was preceded in death by Eleanor, his wife and partner of 50 years, fellow world explorer, and alternate helmsman of their sloop ELKA. He will be interred beside her and his parents in Arlington National Cemetery. Arrangements are by Hardage-Giddens Funeral Home, Jacksonville Beach.
Florida Times Union, Nov27 2010