John Anthony Sledge

John's earthly travels of 77 years have ended.

Although born in Texas, the family moved to Tampico, Veracruz, Mexico, where his father managed the oil assets for an American refinery.  During his ten years there, John spent any extra time searching for Aztec artifacts in the nearby jungles and caves.  When Mexico nationalized the oil industry, John's family returned to the United States, which required the four brothers to relearn English.
After graduating from high school in 1967, John joined the military.  Because of his academic achievements, the Air Force selected him for a career as an instrumentation technician.  His affinity for circuitry enabled him to develop components and modules used in Vietnam, data collection techniques for cold/desert conditions with a specialty in seismic/acoustic/magnetic phenomena, and calibration testing standards for across-services data analysis.  John spent most of his 20-year military career followed by another 10 years as a contractor at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida.
He transitioned into retirement by gardening, reading science journals, and researching both Toltec and Aztec cultures.  He also spent his free time cheering on his favorite college football teams, including Alabama.  Roll Tide!
 

John was preceded in death by his parents, James Robert ‘Bob’ and Delia Sledge, along with his brothers, James Robert ‘Jim’ Sledge and Jesse Sledge.  He is survived by his wife of 39 years, Karen, and son, Isaac, plus his brother, Jerry, and older sister, Maria.  

God’s spirit leads him onward to a new journey.  Go in peace, John.

A Funeral Mass for John will occur on 29 May 2024 at 1:00 pm in Eglin’s West Gate Chapel.  For those who do not have base access, Final Interment will occur at Jesse Rogers Memorial Cemetery in Mary Esther FL at 3:00 pm.

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