Obituary of Maurice Marcellas Maack

Maurice M. Maack, 23, passed away on January 13, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Born on June 14, 2000, in Normal, Illinois, to Kelly D. Maack of Winter Haven and Mayseeo M. Manns of Lakeland. Maurice had a beautiful smile and always lit up a room whenever he was present. He was kind and loved everyone especially his mom.

He attended Winter Haven High School and Maurice was inspired by the military service of his maternal great-grandfather, James Martin, and grandfather, Tom Maack, Sr.. This inspiration led him to enlist in the United States Army in 2018, at the young age of 17, marking the beginning of a distinguished and honorable 5 year, 8 month military career. While finishing high school he was a dedicated uncle to his nieces and nephews that he cared for just as if they were his own.

During his time in the Army, Maurice's dedication and exceptional talent were evident. He attended Basic Training at Ft. Jackson and further honed his skills at Airborne School, Air Assault School, and SERE School. Maurice's pursuit of excellence extended to his academic endeavors as well. He was diligently working towards an associate's degree at Fayetteville College, a testament to his commitment to personal growth and lifelong learning.

Maurice's military accolades are numerous and reflective of his outstanding character. He completed the Basic Leader Course with the XVIII Airborne Corps and Ft. Bragg Noncommissioned Officer Academy, and the Equal Opportunity Leader Course. His achievements include earning the Polish Army Parachutist Badge during Operation Toy Drop 2.0, two Certificates of Achievement with the Bravo Company, 369th Adjutant General Battalion, six Army Achievement Medals with the 7th Psychological Operation Battalion (Airborne), and The Army Commendation Medal with both the 4th Psychological Operations Group and the Headquarters, U.S. Army Special Operations Command. In recognition of his exemplary behavior, efficiency, and fidelity, Maurice was awarded the Good Conduct Medal.

Maurice's persistence and drive allowed him to rise through the ranks with integrity and honor as he always strived to learn another skill and master any task that was presented to him. He was promoted to Specialist on January 1, 2020, to Sergeant on February 1, 2021, and achieved the rank of Staff Sergeant on August 1, 2022. He was selected out of thousands of soldiers for job positions and impacted many soldiers he worked with on a daily basis in the Human Resources Department.

He is survived by his devoted wife, Racquel Swaby; his loving parents, Kelly D. Maack and Mayseeo M. Manns; maternal and paternal grandparents, Thomas and Mary Maack, Lena Manns and Larry Lewis; siblings Kiara Johnson, Karissa Johnson, and Marcus Johnson Jr; his cherished nephews Demetrius, Kobie, Josiah, and nieces Alayah and Nalah Mentria as well as his bonus siblings, brother Jaylen Tinervin and sister Sharday Tong.

We invite family, friends, and those whose lives were touched by Maurice to join us in celebrating his life. Services will be held at Oak Ridge Funeral Care, 2425 Havendale Blvd NW, Winter Haven, FL. Visitation is scheduled for Tuesday, January 30th from 5-8 pm, and funeral service on Wednesday, January 31st at 2 pm. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Salvation Army in Winter Haven, FL, in honor of Maurice's generous spirit and compassionate heart. If flowers are sent to the funeral home his mother would prefer plants that can be nurtured and grow just as Maurice did through out the entirety of his life.

In remembering Maurice, we celebrate not only a soldier, a son and a brother, but overall a good person who was always a phone call away when we all needed him. To honor Maurice he would want us all to remember and apply his way of life "Do things for others not because of who they are, or what they do in return but because of who you are." May he rest in peace and watch over all of us.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>   LIVE STREAM   <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<