John "Jack" Picco

Civil Engineer Corps

Unites States Navy Reserve, Retired

CAPT Jack Picco was born in January 1944 in Brooklyn, New York. He was always proud of being from Brooklyn and was a graduate of Brooklyn Technical High School. At age 17, he followed in his father’s footsteps by joining the Navy Reserve. He was in the submarine force as a Machinist Mate Second Class on the USS IREX (SS-482) and USS SEA OWL (SS/AGSS-405). During his college years at Northeastern University in Boston, he did his Navy duty and then went to Officer Candidate School in Newport, RI where he got his Navy Commission in 1967. His initial assignment after Civil Engineer Corps Officers School was as Safety Officer and Industrial Hygienist, Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute, Bethesda, Maryland. In 1970, he transferred to the Washington, DC Navy Yard, Public Works Department as Shops Engineer, Utilities Officer, Activity Facilities Engineer and was assigned to the United States Presidential Honor Guard. Subsequently he earned a Master of Science in International Commerce from George Washington University in 1973.

CAPT Picco had many assignments as a Civil Engineer Corps Seabee Officer including NMCB23 and the Naval Reserve Commander Construction Battalion Atlantic. His civilian job with Bechtel Corporation placed him in the Middle East in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia for three years. He was the initial Reserve CEC Infrastructure Officer for Saudi Arabia while assigned to VTU 3004, Brussels, Belgium. He was Equipment Officer in the 8thNCR and eventually became Chief of Staff until 1988. He was then assigned as Officer in Charge for the Commander in Chief, U.S. Naval Forces Europe, Fleet Civil Engineer Det “A” supporting the Regional Wartime Construction Management program until September 1990. After a brief retirement, he was called to active duty as the Head, Seabee Reserve Program Manager for the Department of the Navy, Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, DC. until 1998. CAPT Picco served in the Navy for 38 years.

Jack was a licensed Real Estate Broker in the DMV, a member of the Society of American Military Engineers, the Fleet Reserve Association, the AUSN and a past volunteer sailing coach for the US Naval Academy Sailing Squadron and Chesapeake Accessible Region Boating for the Handicapped. Jack played Rugby for the Washington Poltroons, was a member of the Radio Frequency Airplane Club in Fairfax and had many sailing adventures with friends.

In 1968, Jack married the love of his life Ann Doran in Tiverton, RI. They had an adventurous life of travel and fun in many parts of the world with friends everywhere. They have four wonderful children who have continued to pursue travel and fun in their careers and families.

CAPT Jack Picco and Ann were married for 57 years and resided in Camelot neighborhood for 44 of those years. They are the proud parents of 4 children, 10 grandchildren, and 1 great-grandchild:

- John Picco (Navy CDR Retired F/A-18 Pilot and current Edward Jones Financial Advisor in Key West, Florida) and wife Melissa (grandchildren Johnny and Ashlyn)

- Danielle “Danni” Picco DeMerchant (Navy CDR Retired Surface Warfare and Human Resources Officer and current Cassidy’s Cause Therapeutic Riding Academy Instructor-in-Training for Equine Therapy with a focus on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Paducah, Kentucky) and husband Jeff (grandchildren Cassie Beaman, husband Eric (great-granddaughter Elladie), Bethany, James and Faith)

- Deborah “Debbi” Potts (Physical Education Teacher, Secondary Education, Ralston Intermediate in Garden Grove, California) (grandchildren Ava, Anna, and Steven)

- Brian Picco (Brewmeister/Juicemeister in Tubingen, Germany) and wife Carola (grandchild Jayven)

In lieu of flowers, the Picco family suggests donations to:

- Wounded Warrior Project

https://support.woundedwarriorproject.org

and

- Seabee Memorial Scholarship Association sponsored by the Navy Seabee Foundation

Options to donate to the scholarships:

https://www.seabee.org/support/donate/

https://www.seabee.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/NSF-Donor-Form.pdf

Mail check to:

Navy Seabee Foundation

PO Box 657, Gulfport, MS 39502

and

- THE GENTIVA FOUNDATION WITH HEARTLAND HOSPICE

Please use the link below to get to the Gentiva Foundation Site which is used by Heartland Hospice, Fairfax, VA

https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/GentivaFoundation/GHS.html

Kindly note in the additional comments box that "This donation is made in memory of John Picco in support of Heartland Hospice in Fairfax, VA."

For out-of-town guests needing hotel accommodations, the family recommends:

- Homewood Suites by Hilton Falls Church located at 8130 Porter Rd, Falls Church, VA 22042

- Falls Church Marriott Fairview Park located at 3111 Fairview Park Dr, Falls Church, VA 22042

LIVESTREAM on Thursday, 02 October 2025:

On Thursday, October 2nd, a LIVESTREAM of the St. Ambrose Catholic Church Mass for John Picco is from 11am-12pm (Eastern).

Livestream filming starts 15 minutes before Mass at 10:45am:

- Click the link in the Saint Ambrose Catholic Church information below on this webpage.

or

- The website livestream directly is as follows: (https://stambroseva.org/funeral-videos