John Frederic Felter

John F. "Jack" Felter (90), Cdr USN, ret., died suddenly at home in Falls Church, VA Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022. He was preceded in death by siblings James R. D. Felter, Janet Smith, and Mary Lou Nadeau. He was the beloved husband of 65 yrs of Priscilla, loving father of Althea (Jim) Grossweiner of Naperville, IL and James D. (Susan) Felter of Norman, OK, and wonderful grandfather to Katherine (John) Gallagher and Allyssa Grossweiner.

Born in 1932 to Durand and Helen Felter, and raised in Springfield, MA, Jack early developed an interest in aviation which he maintained his entire life. He secured an NROTC scholarship at Dartmouth College, graduating with a BA in Physics and commissioning as a naval officer. He met and courted Priscilla, then studying at Mt. Holyoke College, and the couple married in 1957 in Houston, TX.

Jack became a pilot in the Navy and also achieved an MA in international relations and taught at both the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD, and the US Naval War College in Newport, RI. After travelling widely, Jack and Pris settled in Falls Church, VA, during and after his second career at TRW in McLean, VA.

Jack was always primarily interested in the wellbeing and happiness of his family, relatives, and friends. Over the years he worked tirelessly with Pris on improving the houses and gardens the family lived in. He built and flew model airplanes from childhood and was the longtime President of the Capital Area Antique Modelers Association (CAAMA) in Northern Virginia.

Jack shared an interest in each of his relatives' own hobbies and avocations: art and history and gardening with Pris, birds and writing with his daughter and granddaughters, history and politics with his son, and he shared his aviation passion with his fellow hobbyists. He himself collected, and frequently sent, books on every subject of interest to his family and friends.

Jack's unfailingly sunny outlook and loving optimism lifted up and supported the spirits of every person who knew him.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology or the charity of your choice.