Jackson Frederick Orr Jr.'s Obituary
Jackson Frederick Orr, Jr. passed away Sunday, September 6, 2015. He was born October 28, 1929 on “Black Monday” when the stock market crashed at the beginning of the Great Depression. His parents lived in Ada, Oklahoma where it was ‘fashionable’ to take the Interurban rail in to Oklahoma City to visit the doctor, so Jack was officially born in Oklahoma City. He lived in Ada for 10 years. Jack’s grandfather, Dr. Charles Laurence Orr was a doctor in Texas for many years then moved to Roff in Indian Territory where a Mr. Joseph Roff started developing a community near Ada. He practiced there until 1921. Jack’s father had been born in Kenedy Texas, went to East Central College and Oklahoma University, after which he opened a commercial printing business in Ada (Grigsby Orr and Alletag). In the early 1930’s Jack F. Orr Sr. loaned $500.00 to Bob Kerr Sr. to drill his first oil well. This adventure snowballed into the Kerr-McGee Oil Co. of today. And yes, he did pay Jack’s father back the $500. Jack’s father died when he was 8 and he and his mother moved to Dallas in 1940. Jack was enrolled in Terrell Prep and spent two summers in southwestern New Mexico at a working ranch where each boy took care of his horse, learned to fish and hunt, and even treed a bear once. At Woodrow Wilson High School Jack was Captain of his R.O.T.C. Squadron. Jack received a full academic scholarship to Rice University when he was 16. He earned his Bachelor degree in Public Law and Masters at S.M.U. where he was a charter member and a President of Lambda Delta chapter of Delta Kappa Epsilon. Jack proudly served in the Air Force from 1951 to 1958. He was appointed to a joint forces project (Army, Navy, Air Force) as a1st Lieutenant and member of 1095th guarding our atomic missiles during the Korean War. Jack worked for Associated Aviation Underwriters and in 1963 was named Associate Vice-President. He was Regional Manager of the five state area and quickly became known as “Mr. Insurance of Texas” and “The Authority on Aviation Insurance.” He insured private aircraft for Koch Industries, Ross Perot, Sam Walton and was the primary on many small airlines, insuring everything to do with flying and airports. He was the first to write a plan for the policy on the fledgling Southwest Airlines; and A.A.U. (now Global Aerospace) is still tops in aviation insurance. In the 50’s Jack started a business in radio controlled airplanes called Radio n’ Planes which he sold to a man who opened it into a retail store on the SE intersection of Spring Valley and Coit. In 1993 he bought half of Discount Model Trains at Addison Airport and expanded it. Then he built a 24′ by 24′ train layout upstairs in our home. His maternal great- great grandfather, Richard Sutphin Van Wey came to the Republic of Texas in 1844 and published a book on his trek to Texas. Jack was preceded in death by his parents, a daughter, Katherine, and a son, Forrest Orr, two brothers in law, Tim Lehman and John Paul Nauman Jr. He is survived by his wife of 44 years, Marla Orr, his daughter Kathleen Orr Laird and husband Jim Laird III and their son James Charles Laird IV, and his son Jackson Frederick Orr III and wife Ana Orr and daughter Louisse, mother in law, Marjorie Lehman, sister in law, Donna Lehman Nauman and numerous nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, family ask that you donate to a charity of your choice. The funeral is to be held at First United Methodist Church Richardson, Saturday, September 12, at 10:30 AM. Visitation will be held Friday, September 11, 2015 from 6-8PM at Restland Funeral Home.
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