John grew up like every other kid in the 40’s. He was a Boy Scout, loved the outdoors, camping, hiking and attended church regularly with his family. He loved to read Zane Grey and Edgar Rice Burroughs books, any thing full of adventure. Artistic talent ran in the family, his mother was a painter and wedding cake designer, so he loved to sketch cowboys and pretty women. Every one called him “Jack”. After graduating from Boyertown HS he served in Alaska during the Korean War as an aviation mechanic. His artistic abilities led him to grace one of the fighters with “nose art” – the skunk from Disney’s Bambi. When he returned home, he met and married a nurse from Pottstown. Along with his joy of drawing he also loved fast cars and scuba diving. Every one I ever met that knew him told me what a great guy "Jack" was… an energetic, hard worker that could always make you laugh.
If you’re a senior citizen you may remember that cold day in late January, 1962 when "Jack" and three of his scuba diving buddies performed a dive under a foot of ice at Dyers Quarry in Birdsboro. He never returned to the surface. Rescuers and volunteers came from three states and found his body after searching for several days. He was found on February 3rd. "Jack" left behind two little boys and a wife 8 months pregnant with a little girl he would never meet.
His three children got together and visited the quarry 10 years ago on the 40th anniversary of his death. They each lit a candle, said a few words and then took a vial of water from the quarry to remember him. I think they turned out pretty good and they hope that he would be proud of each of them if he were here today. This cache was placed near his grave to memorialize a great man, husband and father that died much too young, 50 years ago this month. This one’s for you dad, love Kevin.