Obituary of John Thomas McInnis

Command Sergeant Major John Thomas McInnis (United States Army, Retired), 83, of Ozark, died Monday, March 19, 2018, in Southeast Alabama Medical Center. Funeral services will be 2:00 P.M. Thursday, March 22, 2018, in the Chapel of Holman Funeral Home and Cremations of Ozark United States Army Chaplain Younsoo Park officiating. Interment will follow in Woodlawn Memory Gardens with Full Military Honors, Holman Funeral Home of Ozark directing. The family will receive friends at the funeral home in Ozark Thursday from 12:30 P.M. until service time. CSM McInnis was born November 24, 1934 in Wayne County, Mississippi, near Waynesboro, to the late Lester O. McInnis and Irene Burford McInnis. At the early age of 18 Mr. McInnis and most of his family moved to Mobile, Alabama. He worked in construction and at the young age of 22 became foreman of his crew. He was drafted into the United States Army Engineers in 1957. After training he was stationed in the Panama Canal Zone for one and one-half years. He was released from active duty and assigned to active reserves. After two and one-half years he returned to active duty in the Army. While attending chemical school in Anniston, Alabama (Fort McClellan) he met and married the love of his life in November 1962. Not long after they were married he was stationed in Germany where they had twin daughters. He was then assigned to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri and became a Drill Sergeant, he went to Korea for a year and back to Fort Leonard Wood for two years. He went to serve in Vietnam and then returned to Fort Leonard Wood for three more years. He and his family then returned to Germany for another tour. CSM McInnis was then assigned as Advisor to Reserve and National Guard in Tennessee and Mississippi. He retired as Command Sergeant Major of the 46th Engineer Battalion at Fort Rucker in 1982. At that time they called Ozark home. He attended classes for three years at Wallace College in Dothan, and then became an Instructor at Wallace in the cabinet and wood working shop for eleven years, teaching night classes. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife of forty-six years, Deanie Owens McInnis; two sisters, Jennie Brown and Ruth Clifton; two brothers, Tobe Roach and Marvin McInnis. Survivors include one son and daughter-in-law, Randall and Carrie Robison of Eastaboga, Alabama; three daughters, Wanda Latshaw of Daleville, Alabama, Paula Allen of Ozark, Alabama, and Carla Wiles (Joel) of Iva, South Carolina; one brother and sister-in-law, Brown McInnis (Margaret) of Saraland, Alabama. Many grandchildren, great grandchildren, great-great grandchildren, nieces and nephews also survive. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to your favorite charity.