John Kennedy “Jack” Gurner, Sr., 90, died Sunday, December 24, 2017 at Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi in Oxford. Jack was born January 21, 1927 in Water Valley, MS, and was a son of the late B. G. Gurner and Margaret Kennedy Gurner. He served in the US Army Air Corps during World War II and was an electronics technician with the Columbia Gulf Natural Gas Transmission System until his retirement in 1989. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Water Valley and served on the board of trustees. Jack was also a member of the Water Valley Jaycees and a long time Boy Scout and Scoutmaster with Troop 14 in Water Valley. He received the Braswell Hatcher Service Award from the Water Valley Chamber of Commerce in 2008 and served as Grand Marshal of the 2015 Water Valley Christmas Parade. Jack involved himself in the Gurner family tradition of preserving Water Valley’s history. He served as curator of the Casey Jones Railroad Museum that houses many of the artifacts collected by his brother, Bruce.
He is survived by a son, John Kennedy “Jack” Gurner, Jr. and his wife, Jessie of Water Valley, MS; and a grandson, John Jason Gurner of Birmingham, AL. He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Nell Groves Gurner; a son, Marvin Douglas Gurner; his brother, Bruce Gurner; and his sisters, Tommy Mae Bessent, Margaret Wolfe and Nell Jackson.
A memorial service will be held Thursday, December 28, 2017 at First United Methodist Church in Water Valley at 2:00 PM with Rev. Allen McGraw officiating. Visitation will begin at 1:00 PM prior to the service. Honorary pallbearers are former members of Water Valley’s Troop 14, Boy Scouts of America. A private graveside service was held at Oak Hill Cemetery.
The family asks that memorials be made to the Second Chance Animal Alliance or to a church or charity of the giver’s choice.