John E. Ivory

John earned a Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Notre Dame and began his career as a physics professor at The University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN. There, he met his wife Gertrude (Costello), who worked at the university’s library. She preceded him in death after 64 years of marriage. He later took jobs at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, DC and the Office of Naval Research in Chicago. John and Gertrude settled in Arlington Heights with their three beloved children Mary (late Christopher) Ivory-Coulomb, Gert R. (Doug Goedken) Ivory and John J. Ivory. He was the cherished grandfather of Benjamin Coulomb and Anne Coulomb and dear brother of the late Robert Ivory.

John will be remembered for his sense of humor (he loved a good “dad joke”) and his generosity. He could help a neighbor fix almost anything and accomplished many major do-it-yourself projects at his own home. He was a regular volunteer at the Arlington Heights Memorial Library, the Arlington Heights Nurses Club Lending Closet, and as a coach for the Science Olympiad at South Middle School.

Memorial visitation will be Monday, June 20, 2022, from 10:00 AM until the time of the Funeral Mass at 11:00 AM at Our Lady of the Wayside Church, 440 S. Mitchell Avenue, Arlington Heights.

Interment will be private.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Robert J. Ivory ’47 Endowment Fund at St. Joseph Collegiate Institute, Buffalo, NY which provides financial aid for needy students (https://www.sjci.com/apps/pages/givetoday, St. Joe’s Fund, special instructions, “John Ivory Memorial”).