SSG (Ret) Jesse "Dean" Tarrant (Lebanon)'s Obituary
SSG (Ret) Jesse Dean Tarrant, son of Ralph and Lora Belle Huddleston Tarrant, was born March 7, 1936, in Taylorville, Illinois. He departed this life Tuesday, June 28, 2016, in his home, in Lebanon, Missouri, at the age of eighty years, three months, and twenty-one days.
On January 18, 1980, he was united in marriage to Nancy Neal Alexander Russell, and they shared the last thirty-six years.
He was preceded in death by his parents; five brothers, his twin, Lester, Johnny, Harlow, Lee Don, and Joe; and two sisters, Josephine and Myrtle.
Dean is survived by his wife, Nancy, of the home; three daughters, Cynthia McSorley, and her husband, Patrick, of Lithia Springs, Georgia, Karena Buske, and her husband, Aaron, and Vanelle Smith, and Chris Hoerle, all of Lebanon, Missouri; three sons, Alan Tarrant, of Villa Rica, Georgia, Roger Tarrant, of Lithia Springs, Georgia, and Dennis Tarrant, of Costa Mesa, California; eight grandchildren, Jesse, Jeremy, Kameron, Holly, Danny, Kandace, Isabella, and Elissa; one great-grandson, James; a brother, Larry Neidigh, and his wife, Wanda, of Stuart, Florida; two sisters, Caroline Thompson, of Taylorville, Illinois, and Barbara Smith, and her husband, Howard, of Clarksville, Indiana; two sisters-in-law, Shirley Tarrant, of Taylorville, Illinois, and Elolee Alexander, of Lebanon, Missouri; a number of nieces and nephews; as well as a host of other relatives and friends.
He was born and raised in Taylorville, Illinois, and graduated from Taylorville High School in the Class of 1955. He then entered the military in 1956, and served his country faithfully in the United States Army for twenty years. He was stationed in Italy, Germany, Vietnam, Korea, Hawaii, and several locations stateside. He retired as a Staff Sergeant on July 31, 1975. He made his home in the Waynesville community, and began working as a civil service employee at Fort Leonard Wood in 1976. He spent part of his time working in a warehouse and then as a truck driver during his twenty years at the Fort, retiring in 1996. Later, he and Nancy moved to Lebanon and made their home.
Dean had professed his faith in Christ and was a member of First Baptist Church in Lebanon.
He enjoyed playing golf and bowling and was a fan of the St. Louis Cardinals and the Dallas Cowboys. He loved to travel and enjoyed taking family vacations. He was a good friend and was loyal to a fault. He was always a calming influence and was blessed with a quiet strength. He possessed a delightful sense of humor and loved to laugh. His family was very important to him and he especially enjoyed his grandchildren and great-grandchild.
Dean was a loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, uncle, and was a caring neighbor and friend. He will be fondly remembered as a devoted family man, a dedicated soldier, a dependable worker, and a good friend to many.
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