On Dec. 1, 2009, surrounded by his loving family, Col. Jerry Howard Nabors, U.S. Air Force, peacefully took his last flight and "reached out and touched the face of God."
Jerry was born and raised in Talladega, Ala. He attended Georgia Institute of Technology on a football scholarship (Go Jackets). Upon graduation, he was commissioned in the U.S. Air Force and began 27½ years of flying, fighting and dedicated service. He was a fighter pilot with 5,700 hours of flying time. During his Air Force career he commanded the 64th Tactical Fighter Squadron (the original Aggressors) at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., and the 49th Tactical Fighter Wing, Holloman AFB, N.M. He had a combat tour at DaNang in the Republic of South Vietnam and flew 188 combat missions, including 100 over North Vietnam. He earned the Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, the Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster, the Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, and the Air Medal with 15 oak leaf clusters. He was honored to have been awarded the Order of the Sword.
In addition to his bachelor's degree from Georgia Tech, he earned his master's degree from the University of Arkansas and was a graduate of the U.S. Navy War College.
After retiring from the Air Force in 1985, Jerry worked for Northrop Grumman as the flight test director at Eglin AFB for 18 years.
He was an ordained deacon and member of the First Presbyterian Church of Niceville, a Daedalian, a lifetime member of the Air Force Association and past president of the State of Florida AFA and the Eglin Chapter AFA, a member of The Emerald Coast Military Affairs Council, and the Georgia Tech Athletic Hall of Fame.
He loved the Lord and his church, flying a jet and playing with a cloud, being in Bobby Dodd Stadium on a football Saturday afternoon watching a Tech victory, and nothing gave him greater pleasure than being with his family and friends.
Left to cherish his memory are his wife of 51 years, Mary Ellen, daughters, Elizabeth Creamer of Yorktown, Va., and Nancy Madaris of Fort Walton Beach, Fla.; son, Jerry H. Nabors Jr. of Chicago; grandchildren, Lynn Turner, Tracy Arnold, Jeri Burns, Jamie Madaris and Jerry Madaris; and great-grandchildren, Allison Arnold, Tommy and Nathan Turner and Zoey, Hudson and Jerry Burns. Loved as sons and grandsons and granddaughters are Dave, John, Jim, Rob, Todd, Colin, Liz and Jesse.
He was preceded in death by his mother and stepfather, Lucille and William Wigton; and his mother, father and brother-in-law, Bette, George, and Tommy Condrey.
A visitation will be Sunday, Dec. 6, from 2 to 4 p.m. at Heritage Gardens Funeral Home in Niceville, Fla.
Jerry was born and raised in Talladega, Ala. He attended Georgia Institute of Technology on a football scholarship (Go Jackets). Upon graduation, he was commissioned in the U.S. Air Force and began 27½ years of flying, fighting and dedicated service. He was a fighter pilot with 5,700 hours of flying time. During his Air Force career he commanded the 64th Tactical Fighter Squadron (the original Aggressors) at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., and the 49th Tactical Fighter Wing, Holloman AFB, N.M. He had a combat tour at DaNang in the Republic of South Vietnam and flew 188 combat missions, including 100 over North Vietnam. He earned the Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, the Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster, the Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, and the Air Medal with 15 oak leaf clusters. He was honored to have been awarded the Order of the Sword.
In addition to his bachelor's degree from Georgia Tech, he earned his master's degree from the University of Arkansas and was a graduate of the U.S. Navy War College.
After retiring from the Air Force in 1985, Jerry worked for Northrop Grumman as the flight test director at Eglin AFB for 18 years.
He was an ordained deacon and member of the First Presbyterian Church of Niceville, a Daedalian, a lifetime member of the Air Force Association and past president of the State of Florida AFA and the Eglin Chapter AFA, a member of The Emerald Coast Military Affairs Council, and the Georgia Tech Athletic Hall of Fame.
He loved the Lord and his church, flying a jet and playing with a cloud, being in Bobby Dodd Stadium on a football Saturday afternoon watching a Tech victory, and nothing gave him greater pleasure than being with his family and friends.
Left to cherish his memory are his wife of 51 years, Mary Ellen, daughters, Elizabeth Creamer of Yorktown, Va., and Nancy Madaris of Fort Walton Beach, Fla.; son, Jerry H. Nabors Jr. of Chicago; grandchildren, Lynn Turner, Tracy Arnold, Jeri Burns, Jamie Madaris and Jerry Madaris; and great-grandchildren, Allison Arnold, Tommy and Nathan Turner and Zoey, Hudson and Jerry Burns. Loved as sons and grandsons and granddaughters are Dave, John, Jim, Rob, Todd, Colin, Liz and Jesse.
He was preceded in death by his mother and stepfather, Lucille and William Wigton; and his mother, father and brother-in-law, Bette, George, and Tommy Condrey.
A visitation will be Sunday, Dec. 6, from 2 to 4 p.m. at Heritage Gardens Funeral Home in Niceville, Fla.
On Dec. 1, 2009, surrounded by his loving family, Col. Jerry Howard Nabors, U.S. Air Force, peacefully took his last flight and "reached out and touched the face of God."
Jerry was born and raised in Talladega, Ala. He attended Georgia Institute of Technology on a football scholarship (Go Jackets). Upon graduation, he was commissioned in the U.S. Air Force and began 27½ years of flying, fighting and dedicated service. He was a fighter pilot with 5,700 hours of flying time. During his Air Force career he commanded the 64th Tactical Fighter Squadron (the original Aggressors) at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., and the 49th Tactical Fighter Wing, Holloman AFB, N.M. He had a combat tour at DaNang in the Republic of South Vietnam and flew 188 combat missions, including 100 over North Vietnam. He earned the Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, the Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster, the Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, and the Air Medal with 15 oak leaf clusters. He was honored to have been awarded the Order of the Sword.
In addition to his bachelor's degree from Georgia Tech, he earned his master's degree from the University of Arkansas and was a graduate of the U.S. Navy War College.
After retiring from the Air Force in 1985, Jerry worked for Northrop Grumman as the flight test director at Eglin AFB for 18 years.
He was an ordained deacon and member of the First Presbyterian Church of Niceville, a Daedalian, a lifetime member of the Air Force Association and past president of the State of Florida AFA and the Eglin Chapter AFA, a member of The Emerald Coast Military Affairs Council, and the Georgia Tech Athletic Hall of Fame.
He loved the Lord and his church, flying a jet and playing with a cloud, being in Bobby Dodd Stadium on a football Saturday afternoon watching a Tech victory, and nothing gave him greater pleasure than being with his family and friends.
Left to cherish his memory are his wife of 51 years, Mary Ellen, daughters, Elizabeth Creamer of Yorktown, Va., and Nancy Madaris of Fort Walton Beach, Fla.; son, Jerry H. Nabors Jr. of Chicago; grandchildren, Lynn Turner, Tracy Arnold, Jeri Burns, Jamie Madaris and Jerry Madaris; and great-grandchildren, Allison Arnold, Tommy and Nathan Turner and Zoey, Hudson and Jerry Burns. Loved as sons and grandsons and granddaughters are Dave, John, Jim, Rob, Todd, Colin, Liz and Jesse.
He was preceded in death by his mother and stepfather, Lucille and William Wigton; and his mother, father and brother-in-law, Bette, George, and Tommy Condrey.
A visitation will be Sunday, Dec. 6, from 2 to 4 p.m. at Heritage Gardens Funeral Home in Niceville, Fla.
Jerry was born and raised in Talladega, Ala. He attended Georgia Institute of Technology on a football scholarship (Go Jackets). Upon graduation, he was commissioned in the U.S. Air Force and began 27½ years of flying, fighting and dedicated service. He was a fighter pilot with 5,700 hours of flying time. During his Air Force career he commanded the 64th Tactical Fighter Squadron (the original Aggressors) at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., and the 49th Tactical Fighter Wing, Holloman AFB, N.M. He had a combat tour at DaNang in the Republic of South Vietnam and flew 188 combat missions, including 100 over North Vietnam. He earned the Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, the Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster, the Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, and the Air Medal with 15 oak leaf clusters. He was honored to have been awarded the Order of the Sword.
In addition to his bachelor's degree from Georgia Tech, he earned his master's degree from the University of Arkansas and was a graduate of the U.S. Navy War College.
After retiring from the Air Force in 1985, Jerry worked for Northrop Grumman as the flight test director at Eglin AFB for 18 years.
He was an ordained deacon and member of the First Presbyterian Church of Niceville, a Daedalian, a lifetime member of the Air Force Association and past president of the State of Florida AFA and the Eglin Chapter AFA, a member of The Emerald Coast Military Affairs Council, and the Georgia Tech Athletic Hall of Fame.
He loved the Lord and his church, flying a jet and playing with a cloud, being in Bobby Dodd Stadium on a football Saturday afternoon watching a Tech victory, and nothing gave him greater pleasure than being with his family and friends.
Left to cherish his memory are his wife of 51 years, Mary Ellen, daughters, Elizabeth Creamer of Yorktown, Va., and Nancy Madaris of Fort Walton Beach, Fla.; son, Jerry H. Nabors Jr. of Chicago; grandchildren, Lynn Turner, Tracy Arnold, Jeri Burns, Jamie Madaris and Jerry Madaris; and great-grandchildren, Allison Arnold, Tommy and Nathan Turner and Zoey, Hudson and Jerry Burns. Loved as sons and grandsons and granddaughters are Dave, John, Jim, Rob, Todd, Colin, Liz and Jesse.
He was preceded in death by his mother and stepfather, Lucille and William Wigton; and his mother, father and brother-in-law, Bette, George, and Tommy Condrey.
A visitation will be Sunday, Dec. 6, from 2 to 4 p.m. at Heritage Gardens Funeral Home in Niceville, Fla.
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