Jonathan Stanhope Bagwell, Jr., 83, from Lakemont, Georgia passed away on May 5, 2023.

Born and raised on a farm in North Carolina in 1940 with six younger siblings, Jon finally had enough of the arduous lifestyle of plowing and up and enlisted with the US Air Force in 1960. After technical training with a “bunch of damn Yankees”, he was assigned to the 6555th Aerospace Test Wing, Patrick AFB, Florida where he learned the delicate art of launching the nation’s first ICBM, the Atlas missile. At this proving ground for America’s national guided missile program, he became a steely blue-eyed missile man. He was also a USAF sharpshooter, which was a talent thankfully passed down to his only son Vance as he, “never put an eye out thanks to the Bagwell boys.”

While at the Cape in ‘62, Jon recalled watching John Glen take off in Friendship 7 in a modified Atlas missile from his nearby pad, to circle the Earth three times. Five months later, he was on alert for 13 tense days in October when the Russians were caught moving ballistic missiles into Cuba by a U2 spy plane. An AF missileer to the end, he never stopped talking about “Pad 11”, and his brothers, sisters, and in-laws are grateful they can finally have some peace and quiet.

After the USAF, he became a switching services supervisor at GTE, and once again passed down his electronics and telecom knowledge via endless lecturing to his son Vance, who has successfully worked for his old company, now called Verizon, for 27 years. Jon retired from GTE to work with his brothers, garden ludicrous amounts of vegetables which led to late night canning “parties”, and enjoyed expounding on others the proper way to do anything. He will be remembered for his warm smile and flirting, a love of songbirds, a German hat he acquired with his late wife Gerda that he was fond of wearing, and the phrase, “Das Ist Gut”.

Jonathan leaves behind his son Vance and granddaughter Katelyn of Cedar Hill, Texas, brothers Weldon and James Bagwell of Lakemont, Georgia, and his sisters Linda, Mayo (and Ken), and Judy (and Mike) of Melbourne, Florida. In the night sky full of stars, he joins his parents Jonathan Stanhope Bagwell Sr., his mother Ruth, his brother Volley, and wives Gladys and Gerta. He will be missed.

Jonathan S. Bagwell Jr. will be laid to rest with honors with his late wife Gerta on July 5, 2023 at 2:45 pm at the Georgia National Cemetery in Canton, Georgia.

Beck Funeral Home, in Clayton, Georgia, is honored to serve the family of Jonathan S. Bagwell, Jr. Beck Funeral Home, in Clayton, Georgia, is in charge of the arrangements. If there are any questions, please call 706-782-9599. An online Memorial Register Book is available at www.beckfuneralhome.com.