March 25, 1941 ~ August 2, 2024 (age 83)
Jack G. Leighton, age 83, of Poncha Springs passed away on August 2, 2024. He was born March 25, 1941 in Council Bluffs, Iowa to Gilford and Fern Leighton.
Fresh out of high school in 1959, Jack began an 8-year military career with the U.S. Air Force. During the Vietnam War period, he was assigned to numerous posts including Shemya AFB on the island of Shemya in the Alaskan Aleutian Islands; Eielson AFB, Fairbanks, Alaska; Davis Monthan AFB, Tucson, AZ; and Offutt AFB, home of the U.S. Strategic Air Command, located near Omaha, NE.
Following Jack’s honorable discharge from military service in 1967, he was a salesman with IBM for 22 years, serving the states of Kansas, Oklahoma and Missouri. Post IBM, he served as a financial advisor for Edward Jones in Colorado for 12 years, including the Brighton and Salida areas. After 42 years of distinguished careers, he made the decision to retire in 2003.
After retiring, Jack’s life was spent volunteering and giving back to others. As a member of the VAVS, he particularly enjoyed providing transportation to local Colorado Veterans. He also volunteered in numerous State and National Parks and Wildlife Refuges in the Midwest; many hours were spent with the Colorado Parks & Wildlife transporting injured birds and small mammals for rehabilitation, overseeing bluebird/swallow boxes and conducting bear awareness programs for campers. He also volunteered at the Crossroads of the Rockies Visitor Center in Poncha Springs and with Good News Jail & Prison Ministries in Florence, AZ
Jack was a member of various civic organizations including the IO of Rocky Mountain Goats, Trout Unlimited and Rotary International. As a 30-year Rotarian, he served as Governor of District 5470 from 1999 to 2000. During that time, he received a Presidential Citation for his leadership and service.
His other interests included visiting as many National Parks as he could, fishing and camping in Missouri, Colorado and Alaska and making license plate signs. He was an avid sports fan and enjoyed watching the Denver Broncos and whoever was beating the Dallas Cowboys.
Jack is preceded in death by his parents, his sister Norma Rose and brother-in law Howard Rose and his son Mark. He is survived by his wife of 52 years Jamie of Poncha Springs, son Jack (Lisa) Leighton of Argyle, TX, daughters Julie (Clint) Drinnen and Katy Draper of Wichita, KS and Jennifer (Ben) Scanga of Poncha Springs and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. No services are planned, his ashes will be scattered in Yellowstone National Park at a later date. Memorial contributions can be made to the Ark Valley Humane Society, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or Yellowstone Forever.
