John Philip Rivers

John Philip Rivers (aka Jack) was born May 5th,1924 in Mt. Vernon, New York. As a child in New Rochelle, NY, he observed the Airship Hindenburg flying low over his schoolyard and was able to return waves with the passengers visible in the cabin. He realized he had witnessed history unfold when he found out that the Hindenburg crashed in flames later that same day.

During the Great Depression, Jack’s family moved to Harrisburg, Pa., where his father was able to find work as a carpenter. Those hardships taught Jack to prioritize savings, live below his means, and waste nothing – values he carried throughout his life. He graduated from Susquehanna High School and enlisted in the US Navy.

During WWII, Jack served as an Aviation Radioman in the USN Anti-Sub Warfare squadron VC6. He was part of a three-man crew on a Torpedo Bomber TBM Avenger. The crew flew from a small Aircraft Carrier, with four Destroyers, acting as a Submarine Hunter killer group in the Atlantic Theater. The plane and crew were credited with the highly probable sinking of a German U-boat, and the squadron took part in developing a method of neutralizing defense positions along Japan’s mainland coastal regions before the war ended.

After his 1946 discharge, Jack married his high school sweetheart, Virginia. They were married for 48 years and raised four children. He is survived by his children: Linda, Keith (Nancy), James, and Patricia (Richard); seven grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.

In 1955, Jack went to work as a Field Engineer for Lockheed Electronics Company, moving his family to be near several job sites in different states. His final assignment was to NASA Houston in the Lockheed Electronic Testing Laboratory. He worked on communications hardware for the Space Shuttle for 17 years in Houston and then retired from Lockheed after 33 years in 1988.

Several years after retirement, Jack lost his wife, Virginia, to cancer but continued living at home for 31 more years, with the help and support of family members who lived nearby. Following complications from a fall and surgery, he passed away peacefully at home on April 26, 2026, surrounded by family, just days before his 102nd birthday. He is preceded in death by his wife, Virginia L Rivers (nee Lingle); parents, Alfred E and Sara A Rivers (nee Dettinger); and brother, Alfred E. Rivers, Jr.

Jack lived a full life and remained active well into old age. His interests and hobbies included cycling, traveling, going to airshows, coffee with friends, reading novels, riding rollercoasters (even into his mid 80’s), watching action movies and documentaries, spending time with family, and simply being at home, relaxing. He will be remembered as a loving father and grandfather, with a good sense of humor, and as an enduring inspiration to those who knew him. He will be dearly missed.

In honor of John, please make a donation to a veteran organization of your choice or by clicking one of the links below.