Obituary for John Goodloe von Jess Sr.
John Goodloe von Jess, Sr., 86, a resident of Acton, MA for many years died peacefully on February 9, 2018 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease.
He was born on November 11, 1931 in New York City and was raised in Milford, New Jersey by the late Friedrich Franz (Fritz) von Jess and Jane (White) Goodloe von Jess.
John graduated from Bernardsville High School in 1953 and was known as “Doc” around the school halls. He was inducted into the Athletic Hall of the Fame for his contributions to football and track; and was an All-State and Tri-County athlete and Captain of both teams. John went on to Union College in New York then transferred and graduated from Rutger’s University in 1953. While there, he was the ROTC Commandant of Cadets and upon graduation was commissioned into the U.S. Air Force where he became a pilot in command of the KC-97 refueling aircraft from 1953 to 1961. John later worked at IBM, Digital Equipment Corporation, Hewlett Packard, as well as Software International, a company he helped found.
He loved his family, his work, and his military service. John is survived by his former wives Wilma Clair von Jess Ph.D. of Acton, MA and Edith von Jess of Chambersburg, PA; his children, Cecilia Ann (von Jess) White, Judith (von Jess) Croitoru, John von Jess Jr., Mary Catherine von Jess, David von Jess, Peter von Jess, Gretchen (von Jess) Casey, Jennifer Marie (von Jess) Dufresne, Laura Lee von Jess, Thomas von Jess and Timothy von Jess; his 36 grandchildren and six great grandchildren.
The family will receive visitors on Monday, February 12, 2018 from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Acton Funeral Home, 470 Massachusetts Ave (Rte 111) Acton. His funeral mass and burial services will be private. Memorial page www.actonfuneralhome.com
He was born on November 11, 1931 in New York City and was raised in Milford, New Jersey by the late Friedrich Franz (Fritz) von Jess and Jane (White) Goodloe von Jess.
John graduated from Bernardsville High School in 1953 and was known as “Doc” around the school halls. He was inducted into the Athletic Hall of the Fame for his contributions to football and track; and was an All-State and Tri-County athlete and Captain of both teams. John went on to Union College in New York then transferred and graduated from Rutger’s University in 1953. While there, he was the ROTC Commandant of Cadets and upon graduation was commissioned into the U.S. Air Force where he became a pilot in command of the KC-97 refueling aircraft from 1953 to 1961. John later worked at IBM, Digital Equipment Corporation, Hewlett Packard, as well as Software International, a company he helped found.
He loved his family, his work, and his military service. John is survived by his former wives Wilma Clair von Jess Ph.D. of Acton, MA and Edith von Jess of Chambersburg, PA; his children, Cecilia Ann (von Jess) White, Judith (von Jess) Croitoru, John von Jess Jr., Mary Catherine von Jess, David von Jess, Peter von Jess, Gretchen (von Jess) Casey, Jennifer Marie (von Jess) Dufresne, Laura Lee von Jess, Thomas von Jess and Timothy von Jess; his 36 grandchildren and six great grandchildren.
The family will receive visitors on Monday, February 12, 2018 from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Acton Funeral Home, 470 Massachusetts Ave (Rte 111) Acton. His funeral mass and burial services will be private. Memorial page www.actonfuneralhome.com