Jack L. Krout, Col.,Ret.

Jack L. Krout, Col., Ret. was born in Hamilton, Montana, August 3,1924 and grew up in the Bitterroot Valley. Jack was the oldest of 7 children born to Edith (Krout) Hackman and Rodney Krout. Jack passed away on July 8, 2022, at his home in Petaluma, CA.

After high school graduation, Jack went to work briefly for the U.S. Forrest Service. In December 1942, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps at Butte, Montana. Earlier that year he had met his future wife, Verna Brackman at the University of Montana, Missoula, at a picnic. He always said “she was the prettiest girl he had ever seen.” They were married and celebrated 74 years of marriage prior to Verna’s death in 2019.

Jack served 31 years in the Air Force achieving the rank of Colonel. During his career he was assigned to numerous bases in the U.S., Europe and Asia. He tested and piloted military gliders, the B-32s, F-7s, B-24Ms with radar, 1051 twin engine planes with the 421 Night Fighter Squadron and the P-61 Black Widows.

When Jack was reassigned to Hamilton AFB in California, he was one of the few qualified All-Weather Fighter Pilots assigned to the 325th Fighter Wing. Shortly after, he was transferred to Germany to assist in rebuilding the German Air Force under the guise of training 17 Nations into jet aircraft. Jack moved up the ranks quickly and commanded others in Aircraft Control and Warning, Radar Sites in Alaska and Mt. Laguna, California. He headed the NORAD Combat Center at Hamilton AFB and commanded the Spacetrack site in Turkey, the Missile Warning Site at Clear, Alaska, and the SLBM System with its seven sites in the U.S. Colonel Krout retired in 1974.

In 1960, Jack and Verna decided to settle in Petaluma with their 4 sons. They purchased an old chicken ranch which would later become Krout’s Pheasant Farm supplying some 20,000 birds to clients all over the world. They were founding members of the Sonoma County Farm Trails in 1973 until their retirement in 1991. Both were extremely community oriented and civic minded. Jack was a Director of the Military Officers Association of America, member of the Elks Lodge #901, Sons In Retirement 58, instrumental in founding the Leghorn Valley Farm Watch and Knit Picker community action group. He was an active member of the united Church of Christ in Petaluma.

Jack is preceded in death by his wife Verna and his oldest son, Douglas Krout. He is survived by his brother Robert Krout (Lloyda), sister Linda Conley, sons Terry Krout (Cindy), Rick Krout (Angie), Ken Krout (Marie), daughter-in-law Margaret Krout, 5 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren. Jack also leaves behind a large extended family and many friends.

A Memorial Service will be held on August 20,2022 at 11:00 A.M. at the United Church of Christ, 825 Middlefield Drive, Petaluma. Private inurnment will follow at a later date at Cypress Hill Memorial Park.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Sonoma County Farm Trails, Crazy Horse Monument in South Dakota or the Wounded Warriors Organization.

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Memorial Service

Saturday, August 20, 2022

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

United Church of Christ