Roll Call Tribute

Published in The Huntsville (AL) Times on July 17, 2016

Jack Hartsfield
Oct. 24, 1936 - July 9, 2016 Jack Hartsfield, a former Alabama newsman who was involved in probing criminal links leading to exposure of the controversial Iran-Contra affair in the 1980s, died July 9th in San Antonio, Texas. Mr. Hartsfield, 79, died from respiratory complications from emphysema according to his family. He was born in Leeds, AL in 1936, the fourth son of the late Gordon and Wylie Hartsfield. He graduated from Waco (TX) High School and earned a bachelor's degree in journalism at Texas A&M University, where he received a Wall Street Journal Student Achievement Award for excellence in journalism. He was also a member of the famed Texas A&M Aggie Marching Band and was commissioned into military service by the U.S. Air Force. He was a public affairs officer at Fairchild Air Force Base, Spokane, WA, 92nd Strategic Aerospace Wing, Strategic Air Command. After leaving the Air Force, he became a print journalist at various newspapers and magazines across the country, including covering the NASA Apollo Program moon landings from Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Johnson Space Center in Houston, TX and Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, AL. During his career, he was employed as regional editor of the Lubbock (TX) Avalanche-Journal; editor of Armed Services Publishers in Riverside, CA; award-winning crime and court reporter for the San Bernardino Sun-Telegram; desk editor for The Birmingham (AL) News; investigative journalist for the Santa Fe (NM) New Mexican newspaper, including coverage of Los Alamos National Laboratory; editor of the New Mexico Business Journal in Albuquerque; and science/space editor and staff writer at The Huntsville (AL) Times. Survivors include his three sons, David (Maria) Hartsfield and Keith (Rebecca) Hartsfield of San Antonio, TX, Scott Hartsfield of Harlingen, TX; stepchildren, Melanie (Howard) Weaver-Busgang of Valley Village, CA, Matthew (Hillary) Weaver of West Hollywood, CA; brother, Gordon Lee (Mimi) Hartsfield of Loves Park, IL, six grandchildren, one great grandson and four step-grandchildren; numerous cousins, nieces and nephews. Preceding him in death is his wife, the former Mary Rayen Long of Williamstown, MA and Santa Clarita, CA, brothers, Bill (Barbara) Hartsfield of Marietta, GA, and Judson of Leeds, AL. A private family memorial gathering is pending. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to any favorite charity.