Jesse Howell “Jay” DeLoach, age 93, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, October 11, 2023, in San Antonio, Texas.
Jesse was born to Maude Juanita Harvey and Jessie Howell DeLoach on August 20, 1930, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Jesse DeLoach was born into a Navy family, making frequent duty station changes from coast to coast as required by the needs of the Navy.
During World War II, his mother passed away suddenly. Due to wartime commitments of his father, a chief machinist's mate, Jesse, and his younger brother, Lyle, were sent to Mooseheart Academy in North Aurora, Ill., to finish their schooling. It was shortly after his arrival at Mooseheart that he acquired the nickname of “Jay” when a young lady asked him to a school dance after he completed his quarantine period.
Jay excelled at Mooseheart playing football, running track and commanding the cadet battalion for two straight years at the rank of lieutenant colonel.
He graduated from Mooseheart in 1948.
After a year in college, Jay enlisted in the Navy in 1949. In 1952, Jay met the love of his life, Berta, whom he married and together they raised four children.
Jay rose rapidly in the Navy to chief yeoman, where he served as flag yeoman to Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd, the famed Antarctic explorer. Jay became a naval officer in 1960 under the Limited Duty Officer program and later transferred into the Surface Warfare community.
He served in the guided missile destroyer USS Lawrence (DDG-4), commanded the minesweeper USS Adroit (MSO-509), and commanded riverine forces in the Mekong Delta during the Vietnam War.
For his actions in Vietnam, he was awarded the Legion of Merit with Combat ‘V,’ the Air Service Medal and several other personnel and foreign decorations.
He retired from the Navy in 1974 at the rank of commander.
After the Navy, he worked as the operations manager for De la Garza Air Conditioning in Laredo, store manager for Tile Center in San Antonio and finally as a teacher at Stinson Middle School in San Antonio.
Jay never left the Navy. He continued to mentor Naval Reserves units in Laredo, served as the senior military instructor of the Naval JROTC unit at Mooseheart Academy, assisted Navy recruiting in San Antonio and actively participated in several Navy-related associations, such as the Tin Can Sailors Association, Naval Minesweeper Association and the USS Lucid (MSO-458) museum ship restoration.
Jay “had seawater running through his veins.”
Above all, Jay was a very outgoing, generous and sympathetic friend and mentor to many people from every walk of life during his lifetime. There are countless stories from former shipmates, students, friends and family members of how Jay’s friendly advice and countless sea stories influenced their careers and lives.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his wife of 62 years, Berta Peña DeLoach of Laredo.
Jesse is survived by brother, Lyle DeLoach; brother, Lee DeLoach; sister, Mary Sue Smith; daughter, Cynthia Lewis (husband, Phil); son, Rear Adm. Jay A. DeLoach, USN (retired), (wife, Jodi); daughter, Laura Gallegos (husband, Rudy); and daughter, Sylvia Curley (husband, Michael). He was a proud, caring and generous family man who stayed connected to his 10 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren and a brand new great-great-granddaughter.
Fair winds and following seas, Shipmate!
In place of funeral services, Jay has requested that his ashes be scattered off the USS Lucid during a celebration of life ceremony in Stockton, Calif., which will be scheduled for a later date.
In lieu of flowers, donations, in memory of Cmdr. Jay H. DeLoach, may be made to the Stockton Maritime Museum (501(c)(3) nonprofit) for the USS Lucid (MSO-458) restoration.
Friends may sign the online register book at www.joineranderson.com.
Courtesy of Joiner-Anderson Funeral Home & Crematory of Statesboro.
Statesboro Herald, October 18, 2023
Sign the Legacy online guestbook at www.statesboroherald.com.