The Reverend John Charles Rivers

John (Jack) Charles Rivers, 89, of Raleigh, North Carolina., died Thursday, January 8, 2014, exactly two weeks after the death of his beloved wife of 66 years, Gloria. He was born to the late Annie Copperthite Rivers and John Lawrence Rivers on March 3, 1925 in Washington, D.C. Jack graduated from Maury High School in Norfolk, Virginia, attended the United States Naval Academy, received his Bachelor’s of Science in Commerce from the University of Virginia, Master’s of Divinity from the Episcopal Theological Seminary in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and a Master’s of Arts in Liturgics from Catholic University in Washington, D.C.. He married Gloria Garavaglia in September of 1948. Jack was the assistant rector of Eastern Shore Chapel in Virginia Beach, Virginia, rector of St. Barnabas Episcopal Church in Richmond, Virginia, rector of Saint Dunston Episcopal Church in Bethesda, Maryland, and Honorary Chaplain of the British Embassy in Washington, D.C. He taught Liturgics at Virginia Theological Seminary, in Alexandria, Virginia. Jack and Gloria retired to Bath, North Carolina, where they lived in the Glebe House on the grounds of Saint Thomas’ Episcopal Church and Jack was a supply priest to the Episcopal Dioceses of East Carolina. He is survived by his son, John C. Rivers Jr. and his wife, Kate, of Raleigh, North Carolina; daughter, Susan Rivers Ballas and her husband, Bill, of Pleasanton, California; his brother Wilson Rivers and his wife Phyllis, of Virginia Beach, sister-in-law Wendy Rockwell and her husband, Wayne, of Panama City, Panama; four grandchildren, Jamie McCallum, Jodie Hepp, Jillian Leonard, and Kathryn Bryant; as well as seven great-grandchildren. Jack was a member of the Saint Andrew’s Society and enjoyed everything Scottish; he took great pride in wearing the Gunn family tartan and enjoyed listening to the bagpipes. He loved to travel, was an avid reader and loved studying history. He will be forever missed by his loving family and friends. His family would like to thank Bernadette Tucker, Frances Alexander, Joan Thomas, Burt Simmons and Margaret Guyer for their dedicated care. A service will be held at St. Michael's Episcopal Church, 1520 Canterbury Road in Raleigh at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, January 14.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The St. Michael's Clergy Discretionary Fund.

Arrangements by Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, Saint Mary's St., Raleigh, NC.