Dr. H. H. Jack Van Horn Jr.

Dr. H.H. Jack Van Horn, 87, of St. Augustine Beach, FL, went to be with the Lord on Monday, March 18th, 2024. He died suddenly without suffering, with his wife of 65 years by his side and family with him. He is survived by his wife, Cleta; his children: Jill Andrews (Sam), Eric Vanhorn (Shalle), Amy Thomas (Mike), Craig Van Horn (Laura), and Laura Nelson; as well as 10 grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Jack was born on January 13, 1937 on a farm outside of Pomona, KS. He loved life on the farm – working with his Dad, hunting, fishing, and above all else, caring for his cows. He went to elementary school in a one-room country school, riding his horse every morning. He reminisced that when he got to school, he would dismount onto the top of the gate, toss the reins over the horse’s head, and give him a slap on the rump, sending him back home to help with the plowing. He was very active in 4-H. One highlight of his high school years at Pomona High School was when he was one of 8 national soil conservation winners and won a scholarship and a trip to Chicago for the National 4-H Club Congress. Jack was valedictorian of his 7-person class graduating class. The biggest highlight of high school? Jack met Cleta. He earned a degree in Dairy Science at Kansas State University in 1958, and went on to receive his Master’s Degree at Kansas State in Dairy Nutrition and a doctorate in Animal Nutrition from Iowa State University. It was there he began his teaching and research career in the Department of Agriculture and Dairy Science. In 1967 he moved his family to Kentucky to be chairman of the Dairy Science Department at the University of Kentucky and then became the Director of Extension for 4-H. They moved to Gainesville in 1970, where he became Chairman of the Dairy Science Department at the University of Florida. He stayed at the University of Florida until retirement in 2002, where he also served as Assistant Director of International Programs and as President of the American Dairy Science Association (ADSA). Jack loved his family and his family adored him. In 1995, before retirement, he purchased a beach house in St. Augustine where the extended family gathered for years. After his retirement in 2002, they moved permanently from Gainesville to St. Augustine. They found their church home and church family at Anastasia Baptist Church and it continues to be for Cleta a very special place. The beach house was a truly magical place for the children and grandchildren to grow up and spend time with Jack and Cleta. Their love for him still grows and grows. A “Celebration of Life” service will be held Friday, May 10th at 11:00 a.m. at Anastasia Baptist Church in St. Augustine, FL. If you are inclined to give flowers, the family is requesting that memorial gifts be made to Anastasia Church’s Building Fund: “4 Generations to Come.” This project of reaching out to future generations was very important to Jack. [Website: anastasiachurch.org].

Dr. H. H. Jack Van Horn Jr.

January 13, 1937 - March 18, 2024