Obituary of Robert Merwin Horton Jr.

LTC Robert Merwin Horton, Jr., United States Army National Guard (Retired), passed away Wednesday, August 2, 2023, at his home. He was 61 years old. Funeral services will be 11:00 A.M. Tuesday, August 8, 2023, from Pleasant Grove Baptist Church with Reverend Roger Parks officiating. Interment will follow in the church cemetery with Full Military Honors, Holman Funeral Home of Ozark directing. The family will receive friends Tuesday in the church from 9:30 A.M. until service time. Serving as pallbearers will be Jason Steed, Jake Steed, William Thames, Eddy Ambrose, Mitch Emmons and Brandon Miller. LTC Horton was born July 26, 1962 in Milton, Florida to the late Robert Merwin Horton, Sr. and Autry Gene Emmons Horton. During his childhood he lived in Brewton and Andalusia. He was a 1980 graduate of Andalusia High School and received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Marketing from Troy University. He completed the United States Army Field Artillery Fire Direction Specialist Course, the Defense Information School Public Affairs Officer Course and attended the United States Army Command and General Staff College. While serving in the Army National Guard from 1987 until his retirement in 2008, he lived in Troy, Auburn, Montgomery and Prattville. He was Commander Major 131st Public Affairs Detachment of the National Guard. Following his service with the Guard, he was Public Information Manager with the Alabama Department of Corrections, and also worked with the State of Alabama with the Department of Veterans Affairs as Assistant Commissioner until his retirement. He and Tammy moved to Ozark in 2022 following his retirement. LTC Horton was active in many professional service organizations: Chapter President of the Montgomery Area Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America, National Military Officers Association of America, President of the Alabama Blue Star Salute Foundation, Support Committee for the Alabama National Cemetery and Kiwanis Club of Montgomery. He loved golfing and fishing. Bob was passionate about helping Veterans. He lived a life guided by love of God, family and country. A quote from his cousin, William Thames: “I have never known anyone as driven by, anchored by, and possessed by such a great sense of duty and justice in my life as my dear cousin.” In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by one brother, Russell Dennis Horton and one sister, Rebecca Lee Horton. Survivors include his wife, Tammy Tomlin Horton of Ozark; one son, Nicholas Thomas Horton of Prattville; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Howard Lamar Tomlin and Sonja Taylor Tomlin; sister-in-law, Brenda Tomlin Steed (Jason); one nephew, Jake Steed; two nieces, Emma Steed and Ella Steed. Many cousins, extended family and friends also survive. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in his memory to the Support Committee for the Alabama National Cemetery, P. O. Box 648, Montevallo, Alabama 35115. (https://scalnc.org/general-donations)