D.R. 'Jack' Morton, 85

Master Sgt. D.R. Morton died Feb. 17, 2009, in Sandy, Ore. He was 85 years of age.

Jack was born July 9, 1923, in Illinois Bend, Texas, the youngest son of Ira and Minnie Strickland Morton. Raised on a ranch in Texas, he graduated from high school in Gainesville, Texas. After high school he attended two years at a junior college in Gainesville before enlisting in the U.S. Army.

Jack served during World War II as a tank commander, attached to General Patton's command. He went on to serve two tours in Korea and one in Vietnam. He was awarded a Bronze Star among many other accommodations and honors. He was stationed with his family in Germany, and later transferred to Kalispell, to be an adviser to the Montana National Guard. It was there that he retired after 23 years of service to his country.

Jack married Gisela Parge on Dec. 5, 1957, in Mannheim, Germany. They had two daughters.

They moved from Germany to Kalispell in 1969 and, after his retirement from the Army, Jack worked as the head of security for Kmart. He retired from Kmart in 1993 after 20 years of employment.

In 2007, Jack and his wife relocated to Sandy to live with their daughter in a new home they were building.

Jack had a quiet demeanor, contagious sense of humor and never missed an opportunity to spin a story. His love of rock hounding led him and family on numerous adventures. The Morton yard in Kalispell was filled with trees he had nurtured from seedlings and brought wildlife close enough to enjoy.

Jack is survived by his wife, Gisela, of Troutdale, Ore.; daughters, Jacqueline Schommer of Troutdale, and Tammi Morton Taranto and granddaughter, Anngelina Taranto, of Monroe, Wash.; and sister, Almeda Smith, of Waco, Texas.

A graveside service with military honors will be held at 11 a.m. today, Feb. 26, at Willamette National Cemetery in Portland.

Lincoln Memorial Funeral Home of Portland is handling the arrangements.