John Cooper Winthrop Jr.
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[John Cooper "Jack" Winthrop Jr., age 91, of Allen, Texas, passed away unexpectedly on Dec. 3, 2011 in McKinney, Texas.
Jack was born Aug. 3, 1920 in Du Quoin, Ill. to John Cooper and Laura Lucy (Webb) Winthrop Sr. He learned to fly at age 17. Jack attended Southern Illinois University. He and Pauline Hunter were married in 1943 and remained married for 57 years until her death in 2000. They raised four daughters.
Jack proudly served in the United States Air Force during World War II and during the Korean War and the Vietnam Conflict. After leaving the Air Force, Jack was a pilot for Braniff International for 34 years. He retired from Braniff on Aug. 3, 1980.
Jack was a member of BISE Club, the Quiet Birdmen, the Antique Aircraft Association, the American WACO Club and a lifetime member of EAA. He was also an avid square dancer. Jack had a flight instructor's rating until he was 90. He had three daughters who had pilot's licenses and he taught three grandsons to fly.
He is survived by his daughters, Janet Mestemacher and husband James of Whitesboro, Tex. and Nancy Staley and husband Preston of Weston, Tex.; 10 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; brother, Gene Winthrop of Du Quoin, Ill. and companion Catherine "Pudge" Ward of Allen, Tex.
He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Pauline; daughters, Marilyn Reese and Elizabeth Dacy; grandson, Michael Dodd and brother, Bob Winthrop.
A memorial service was held at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 6 at Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Chapel in Allen, Texas. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the charity of your choice or the Visiting Nurses Association of McKinney.
To convey condolences or to sign an online registry, please visit www.tjmfuneral.com.