Jack R. Druckenmiller

Jack R. Druckenmiller, 81, a resident of the Gould City Mich., area, died Saturday Aug. 4, 2012, at the War Memorial Hospital Long Term Care Unit in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. He was born April 14, 1931, in Fremont, the son of the late Robert L. and Pauline (Crossett) Druckenmiller. He married his second wife, the former Carol McMillan of Gould City, on Dec. 7, 1996, in Engadine, Mich., and she survives.

Jack quit school to join the Navy, then joined the U.S. Air Force in 1948. He transferred to the 180th Ohio Air National Guard and served over 20 years until his honorable discharge. He retired from the Air Force, attaining the rank of Senior Master Sergeant. While in the service, Jack was in aviation repair and jet engine technician. He designed the first jet engine test cell, which is still in use today, and he was on the team that worked on the first and only hydrogen bomb testing.

While in the service, Jack finished his GED, went to many aviation repair schools and received his AP, AI, and AE licenses, and his ratings for teaching aviation classes. Jack taught ground school and flying in Wauseon and Toledo for many years. He worked as quality control officer on the MX missile jet engines built for Teledyne Corporation. In 1976, when his beloved daughter died, he accepted a teaching position at the Aviation Vocational Tech School at Macomber High School of Toledo, where he taught for over 13 years. As a teacher, he taught many young people who earned their aviation license for airframe and power plant. Many of these students went on to careers in aviation and the military.

Every summer, beginning at age 14, Jack would hitchhike from Fremont to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to visit one of his high school teachers, Mr. Stuckey. Over the years he fell in love with the Michigan outdoors. He built a home on Lake Manistee, where friends would come to enjoy the great outdoors with him and his first wife, Virginia. Jack resided in the Upper Peninsula after Virginia’s death, and married Carol McMillan.

In addition to his love of aviation and brook trout fishing, he was an accomplished singer. He produced several Christian music CDs, which are in use all over the world today. He sang for several years with his son, David, to soldiers serving in Brussels, Belgium, Heidelberg, Germany, Fort Sill, Fort Campbell and Fort Bragg.

Jack is also survived by his sons, Rex of Illinois and David (Sally) of Tennessee; his daughter-in-law, Tina of Ohio; his grandchildren, Christa, Daniel, Sarah, Kelly, Katie and Robert; and his great-grandchildren, Bethany, David, Ella, Rylie, Clayton, Dominic, Madison and Sophee.

He was also preceded in death his brothers, Raymond and Larry; his daughter, Joanne; and his youngest son, Mark.

Funeral services were held Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2012, at Calvary Bible Church in Engadine, Mich., with Pastor Dave Davis officiating.

There will be a graveside Memorial Service at the East Swanton Cemetery with Military Honors on Saturday, 11 August 2012, at 11:00 a.m.

Residence: Gould City, Michigan

Graveside Service: Saturday, August 11, 2012 at 11:00 am at East Swanton Cemetery