Major General (Ret) John "Jack" Waggener, 91, of Cape Girardeau, MO passed away Friday Feb.3, 2017 at The Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau after a brief illness.

Jack was born August 17, 1925 in Gideon, MO and grew up in Charleston, MO where he graduated from high school before joining the US Army and eventually attending and graduating from the US Military Academy at West Point in 1948. Jack then quickly returned to Charleston to marry his sweetheart, Mary Ella Drake, of Charleston before beginning an exciting and rewarding 33 year career as an officer in the US Army Corps of Engineers.

Survivors include three sons; John Jr. (Karen) of Cape Girardeau, Drake of Telluride, Colorado, Robert of Norwood, Colorado; a daughter, Mary, of Cape Girardeau; one grandson, Peyton of Manama, Bahrain; and one granddaughter, Laura of Lexington, Virginia.

Jack was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Ella, brother, Marion Waggener of Charleston and sister, Gerry Getty of Little Rock, AR.

A memorial service will be held 10 AM on Saturday, February, 18 at Ford & Sons Mt. Auburn Chapel.

A family graveside service will follow later that day at the IOOF Cemetery in Charleston.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Charleston United Methodist Church, 1700 E. Marshall St. Charleston, MO 63834, or to Centenary United Methodist Church, 300 N. Ellis St., Cape Girardeau, MO 63701.