Lt. Col. (Ret) Jasper "Jack" Hardison, Jr., 83, passed away peacefully on Feb. 14, 2018, at his home after a long illness. He was born on Sept. 13, 1934, at Fort Bragg, N.C., to Jasper H. Hardison and Emma Lee Hardison.

Alter graduation from high school in Fayetteville, N. C., he attended North Carolina State University in Raleigh, N.C., and graduated with a degree in civil engineering.

Just before graduation from North Carolina State University, he decided he wanted to make the United Slates Air Force a career and received a presidential appointment to the United States Air Force Academy where he graduated in 1960, the second graduating class.

After serving in the Air Force for several years, he attended Georgia Tech University in Atlanta, Ga., and received his master's degree.

Lieutenant Colonel Hardison served 20-plus years in the Air Force before retiring.

He was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by two daughters, Karin Hardison (Tracy) and Annika Thorpe (Eric); son Jasper H. Hardison, III (Janet); sister Grace H. Hardison (William); and five grandchildren. (Jack's loving family)