John Patrick Carey

John Patrick Carey passed away unexpectedly on March 10, 2025 in Helotes, TX. He was born March 20, 1941 in Great Falls, MT to Mary Etta Cocks and Frank Harold Carey. John was preceded in death by his son, Dereck Carey, and his brother, Jerry Carey. He is survived by his loving wife of 57 years, Karen, his 3 daughters, Kimberly (Timothy) Goodnough, Patricia (David) Connor, and Danielle (Bryan) Burruss; 10 grandchildren: Dane, Hunter (Gabriella), Emmalynne, Serenity, Ashlyn, Adeline, John, Alexander, Declan and Griffin; one great-granddaughter, Lucia; his brother Tom (Ramona) and sister Sue (Vince), sister-in-laws, Claudia, Eileen, Charlene (John) and Denise (Randy) and numerous nieces and nephews.

He received his Bachelor of Science from Texas Tech University (Lubbock, TX) in Civil Engineering in 1964 and his Masters of Business Administration in Automatic Data Processing from George Washington University (Washington, DC) in 1970. He is a graduate of Alamo Heights, San Antonio TX, Class of 1959.

It was his honor to serve our country for 26 years in the US Army Corp of Engineers achieving the rank of Colonel; an honor that we would continue to show the rest of his life. John earned the airborne wings and ranger tab, and his many military distinctions and achievements included the following awards and decorations: Legion of Merit (1st Oak Leaf Cluster), Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (2nd Oak Leaf Cluster), Army Commendation Medal (2nd Oak Leaf Cluster), Vietnam Cross of Gallantry Medal with Palm, National Defense Service Medal, and Meritorious Unit Citation (1st Oak Leaf Cluster).

His military assignments included: Karlsruhe, West Germany; Vietnam during the Tet Offensive; Fort Belvoir, VA; Fort Lee, VA; Majuro, Marshall Islands; Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA; the Pentagon, Arlington, VA; Stuttgart, West Germany; Fort Myer, VA; and Vicksburg, MS.

After retirement from the Army, he continued his career in public service at the Alabama State Docks Port of Mobile for 14 years.

John loved playing golf, traveling the United States and the world with his family, watching his children and grandchildren excel in their activities and accomplishments, researching ancestry and gardening.

The family will be having a celebration of life in Helotes, TX on April 19, 2025. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Texas Tech University Alumni Association scholarship fund (TTAA - Clear Lake, c/o Denise McDonald, 2414 Clippers Square, Houston, TX 77058), the USO, or the charity of your choice.