August 20, 1930 - October 11, 2023
Jesse “Jay” Howell 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 De Loach 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 Machinists Mate, Jesse, and his younger brother Lyle were sent to Mooseheart Academy in North Aurora, IL 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 the 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 Reserve 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 Admiral Jay A. DeLoach, USN (ret.) (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 to scatter his ashes off the USS Lucid during a celebration of life ceremony in Stockton, CA that will be scheduled for a later date.
In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Commander 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.
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