John M. "Jack" Horvath, LTC (RET), US Army, of Tucker, Georgia, died from cancer peacefully at his home on December 30, 2021 while in hospice home care at the age of 82.
He was pre-deceased by his mother, Marie M. Priscilla Horvath, and his father, Francis G. Horvath.
Jack was born April 27, 1939, in Cleveland, Ohio and attended St. lgnatius high school (’57), and John Caroll University (’61). Jack credited the values he learned at St. lgnatius as serving him well for the rest of his life. At John Carroll, he participated in ROTC and was commissioned as a 2LT in the Army upon graduation.
Jack married his beloved Patricia Sullivan Horvath in June of 1963. They were married for 58 years and lived in Fort Eustis, Virginia, Germany, Cleveland, and Georgia. Jack served two tours in Viet Nam as an advisor and as a truck company commander, transporting military supplies from the port of Qui Nhon to Pleiku in the interior of the country. He loved his soldiers and did whatever he could for them. Later tours included Germany a second time and serving as Professor of Military Science of ROTC at his alma mater, John Carroll University, in the early 1980s. After serving as an advisor overseas in Saudi Arabia, he and Pat finished 26 years of military service at FORSCOM headquarters and settled outside Atlanta, Georgia.
While on active duty, he attended the Army Transportation School, the Army Command and General Staff College, and earned a master’s degree from the College of William and Mary. After retirement from the Army, he worked several positions, eventually working as office manager for an insurance company.
Jack had many volunteer jobs and hobbies. He belonged to the Buick Club of America, the Dixie Buick Club, and the Georgia Cool Cruisers for a Cause. He enjoyed having his older cars restored and as well as driving them. Jack was an avid Cleveland Browns fan and a Duke basketball fan and even named his dog “Duke.” He and Pat volunteered at the USO at Atlanta Hartsfield airport and MedShare International for over 20 years. They volunteered at numerous Georgia National Guard functions, the St. Vincent de Paul thrift store where he worked the electrical desk; and Missionaries of the Poor preparing and sending food shipments to Jamaica, Haiti, and St .Vincent. For this endeavor, he learned to drive a forklift. He was an active member of Holy Cross Catholic Church where he served as an Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist and belonged to the Knights of Columbus.
Jack is survived by his wife, Patricia Horvath; his daughter Mary Catherine "Mary Kay" Hannah and her husband John, and granddaughter Rosa Maria Hannah of North Carolina; daughter, Helen Rita Horvath and her husband Kenneth Jones of California; sister Kate Maruszak and her husband Paul of California, and many cousins and friends and his beloved dog, Duke.
Jack continues his service as he has donated his body to the Emory School of Medicine.
