Jesse Rutledge Emerson

Capt. Jesse Rutledge Emerson III, USN (ret.), age 81, died on Sunday, March 20th, in Longwood, Florida following a prolonged struggle with cancer. He was the eldest child of Dr. Jesse R. Emerson II and Mary Ann Price Emerson of Gainesville, Florida. After graduation from P.K. Yonge high school in 1948, Jesse attended the University of Florida and served in the Florida National Guard in the run up to the Korean War. In 1951 he was accepted into the Naval Cadet program and was selected for pilot training at Pensacola, Florida. Upon earning his wings in 1952, Jesse was commissioned an Ensign in the U.S. Navy and sent to San Diego, California where he began flying the A-1 Skyraider. It was in San Diego that he met and married Lt. (j.g.) Thelma L. Lickteig, a U.S. Navy nurse stationed at Naval Hospital Balboa. After several sea duty assignments in the early 1960s, Jesse would begin flying the A-4 Skyhawk and later the A-7 Corsair II out of NAS Lemoore, California. He would go on to command two different squadrons and fly 80 combat missions in Vietnam, where he would earn seven Air Medals and a Bronze Star. The last five and half years of his career were spent at the Pentagon, during which time he would help plan the successful rescue of the 40-man Mayaguez crew in May 1975 and also serve as a military advisor for the 1977 Panama Canal treaty negotiations that resulted in returning control to Panama. He retired at the rank of Captain in 1978 following 30 years of military service. Not one to stay still, Jesse joined defense contractor Science Applications International Corporation in Fairfax, Virginia where he worked for over 20 years. He also was active in numerous community organizations and groups, including serving for several years in the 1990s as the Northern Virginia funding raising chairman for the American Heart Association. Two years ago, Jesse and Thelma relocated from northern Virginia to Longwood, Florida to be closer to family. They quickly became part of their new community where they established many strong friendships. Jesse is survived by his wife of 57 years, Thelma; his sons Mark, Paul, and Stephen; his daughters Rosemary and Marilee; four grandchildren and numerous nephews and nieces, as well as his sister Ann Barker of Camden, South Carolina. Visitations will be held at DeGusipe Funeral Home on Thursday, March 24, 2010 from 6:00PM to 8:00PM. A funeral mass will be held Friday, March 25, 2011, 10:00 am, at Annunciation Catholic Church in Longwood, Florida. Internment will be later at Arlington National Cemetery. The family request that in lieu of flowers, donations be sent to the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Society or the Hospice of the Comforter in Altamonte Springs, Florida. Arrangements entrusted to DeGusipe Funeral Home & Crematory 9001 N. Orlando Ave. Maitland, Fl 32751, (407) 695-2273. Please visit www.DeGusipeFuneralHome.com to leave special condolences.

Jesse Rutledge Emerson

March 3, 1930 - March 20, 2011