Memorial services for John A. Rakestraw, 82, of Temple will be 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at First United Methodist Church in Little River-Academy with Dr. Linda Mitchell and the Rev. Mary Katherine Morn officiating.

Burial will be in Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio with full military honors.

Mr. Rakestraw died Friday, Aug. 22, at his home.

He was born July 28, 1926, to Robert W. and Lois Frost Rakestraw in Houston. He was raised and educated in LaPorte, where he graduated from LaPorte High School. He received a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Texas Tech, a master’s degree from Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University and a doctorate from New York Theological Seminary.

He married Johnnie Margaret Price on Jan. 24, 1950. He later married Linda Rogers on April 12, 2002. He entered the Methodist ministry in 1947, serving in churches in the Texas Conference, the North Texas Conference, the Northwest Texas Conference and the Central Texas Conference.

In December 1965, he joined the U.S. Army as a chaplain, serving at several bases in the U.S., Germany, Panama and Vietnam. He retired in 1984 with the rank of colonel. He was preceded in death by his first wife.

Survivors include his wife; two sons, John A. Rakestraw Jr. of Arlington, Va., and Charles Rakestraw of Longview, Wash.; a daughter, Jo Anna Smith of Sumner, Wash.; five grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church in Little River-Academy or to Scott & White Memorial Hospital, c/o Hematology Department for Patient Enrichment, 2401 S. 31st St., Temple, 76508.

Scanio-Harper Funeral Home in Temple is in charge of arrangements.