Jon Franklin Hampton
Jon Franklin Hampton, age 86, passed away in Georgetown, Texas, on March 2, 2025. Born on July 31, 1938, in Centralia, Illinois, to parents Dr. Cecil F. Hampton and Edna Shertz Hampton. He lived and grew up in Salem, Illinois, with his two sisters Beverly Hampton Johnston and Helen Hampton Murry.
Jon worked in his father’s dentistry office in high school which was across the street from the First Salem Bank. Bank officials gave Dr. Hampton a rifle and told him in the instance of a bank robbery to shoot the robbers from the upper window of his dentistry office. Occasionally Dr. Hampton delegated the task of being a lookout to young Jon. Jon graduated from Salem Community High School in 1956 and went on to earn a liberal arts degree from Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri, in 1961. He married Kathleen Kummer on October 22, 1961, in West Chicago, Illinois, where they made their home, and he was employed as a chemist. He briefly taught English in Carlisle, Illinois, before being called into the Armed Services as a lieutenant. After his Army basic training, Lieutenant Hampton and his wife Kathy were stationed in Orleans, France, where he worked in the Medical Service Corps and the couple welcomed their first daughter, Heather. Upon returning to the states, Captain Hampton and his wife were stationed briefly at Fort Riley, Kansas, where they welcomed their second daughter, Heidi, before Jon was deployed with the 9th Infantry Division. The “Old Reliables” left for South Vietnam on December 16, 1966, where Captain Hampton served a one-year tour. Following his tour of duty with Company B of the 9th Medical Battalion, he was stationed at various posts throughout his illustrious military career including Fort Sam Houston, Fort Devens, Fort Hood, Fitzsimons Army Medical Center as well as additional international deployments to Saudi Arabia and Germany. While at Fitzsimons Lieutenant Colonel Hampton met his second wife, Marcia Jean Hoffman; they married in June of 1982 in Aurora, Colorado.
Among his military accomplishments and accolades, he was awarded the Bronze Star. Upon his honorable discharge and retirement, Jon pursued his love of golfing, robust poker nights, and traveling the United States. He was an animal lover and fondly remembered his two most beloved pets, Tiger and Trooper. He will forever be remembered by family and friends for his warm smile, engrossing stories, and gracious heart, as well as being remembered for his fun and gregarious nature by his lifelong friends David McMacken, Jim Schofield, and Blaise Morrissey.
He is survived by his wife, Marcia, daughters Heather Greenwalt (Michael) and Heidi Hampton; grandchildren Cameron Mauzé (Leslie) and Courtney Swartz (Mitchell); three great-grandchildren Mallory Swartz, Preston Swartz and Cam Mauzé, nephews Marcus Johnston (Cindi), Richard Murry (Greg), and Roger Murry (Donna), and niece Lael Martin as well as their children Shaun Johnston, Alex Murry, Tommy Murry, Ashley Cooper (Bonner), and Taylor Martin (Meredith). “To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die.” -Thomas Campbell.
It is with great gratitude for his service that he will be honored and laid to rest at Fort Sam Houston cemetery in San Antonio, Texas on March 20 at 11:15 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Jon’s name to the American Cancer Society at www.donate.cancer.org for their research on skin cancer.