IN LOVING MEMORY OF
John Joseph
Stack
July 4, 1920 – November 28, 2014
Obituary
STACK, John Joseph (JJ), formerly of Yonkers, NY, Sugarland Run, Va., and Bowie, Md., passed away Nov. 28th in Palm Bay, Fl. He was 94.
Born in Yonkers, NY, on July 4, 1920, JJ was the eldest son of Edward Joseph and Della Bridget (Hamilton) Stack. He began his lifetime of travel at an early age, making the long subway trek from home into Manhattan where he attended St. Patrick's Cathedral school and served as an altar boy. He excelled at sports, including baseball and football, and though drafted by the House of David baseball team, he chose to pursue his education.
JJ was a sophomore at Manhattan College when Pearl Harbor was attacked. He immediately enlisted in the US Navy, and while serving in the Pacific Theater with Navy Squadron VS-61, met and married Nellie Kathleen Bowles working at Maylands Airport, Perth, Australia. They shared an adventuresome life together during his 20-year Navy career. JJ ran air traffic control operations at bases in Bermuda, New York, New Jersey, Kansas and Florida—and Nellie ran everything else. After his Navy retirement in 1962, JJ was a strategic planner at the Washington Navy Yard, a consultant with SAIC at Tysons Corners, and the President of his own defense-contract company, Cèilidh.
During their happy, 40-year marriage, JJ and Nellie raised 11 children while traveling the world. Together, they introduced their brood to western living—that is, in Western Australia and the west of Ireland.
With Nellie's sudden death in 1981, JJ faced his toughest times. But sustained by his Roman Catholic faith, he showed his children that life is to be lived. He shared his mother's passion for the Sport of Kings, and during the 1990s raced his thoroughbred horse Sports Career at area racetracks. In 1991, JJ married Barbara Knowles, now of Washington, D.C. While they called St. Simon's Island, Ga., home, they traveled across the US and in Europe and Asia. JJ spent his final years with his son William Stack in Palm Bay, Fl.
JJ is predeceased by his brothers Joseph and William Stack and his sisters Theresa Peel, Kathleen Blinn and Margaret Stack. He is survived by his wife Barbara Stack of Washington, D.C. and his children: Bridget Gingrow of Lancaster, Pa.; Mike Stack of Fairfax, Va.; Robert Stack of Virginia Beach, Va., William Stack of Palm Bay, Fl., Maureen Sappéy of Chestertown, Md., Peggy Vaughn of Frederick, Md., Patricia Stack of McLean, Va., Joseph Stack of Wilmington, N.C., Edward Stack of Chestertown, Md., Teresa Hunter of Clemmons, N.C., and Mickey Stack of Arlington, Va. JJ was devoted to his 24 grandchildren and a great-grandfather to 11. He was beloved by many nieces, nephews and friends in the US, Australia and Ireland.
A Time of Visitation is scheduled 10:00 am to 11:00 am on Tuesday, December 9, 2014 at the Colonial Funeral Home, 201 Edwards Ferry Rd, NE, Leesburg, VA 20176. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at noon on Dec. 9, 2014 at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, 750 Peachtree St, Herndon, VA 20170. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the William Childs Hospice House, 381 Medplex Parkway, Palm Bay, Fl. 32907 at www.health-First.org
Born in Yonkers, NY, on July 4, 1920, JJ was the eldest son of Edward Joseph and Della Bridget (Hamilton) Stack. He began his lifetime of travel at an early age, making the long subway trek from home into Manhattan where he attended St. Patrick's Cathedral school and served as an altar boy. He excelled at sports, including baseball and football, and though drafted by the House of David baseball team, he chose to pursue his education.
JJ was a sophomore at Manhattan College when Pearl Harbor was attacked. He immediately enlisted in the US Navy, and while serving in the Pacific Theater with Navy Squadron VS-61, met and married Nellie Kathleen Bowles working at Maylands Airport, Perth, Australia. They shared an adventuresome life together during his 20-year Navy career. JJ ran air traffic control operations at bases in Bermuda, New York, New Jersey, Kansas and Florida—and Nellie ran everything else. After his Navy retirement in 1962, JJ was a strategic planner at the Washington Navy Yard, a consultant with SAIC at Tysons Corners, and the President of his own defense-contract company, Cèilidh.
During their happy, 40-year marriage, JJ and Nellie raised 11 children while traveling the world. Together, they introduced their brood to western living—that is, in Western Australia and the west of Ireland.
With Nellie's sudden death in 1981, JJ faced his toughest times. But sustained by his Roman Catholic faith, he showed his children that life is to be lived. He shared his mother's passion for the Sport of Kings, and during the 1990s raced his thoroughbred horse Sports Career at area racetracks. In 1991, JJ married Barbara Knowles, now of Washington, D.C. While they called St. Simon's Island, Ga., home, they traveled across the US and in Europe and Asia. JJ spent his final years with his son William Stack in Palm Bay, Fl.
JJ is predeceased by his brothers Joseph and William Stack and his sisters Theresa Peel, Kathleen Blinn and Margaret Stack. He is survived by his wife Barbara Stack of Washington, D.C. and his children: Bridget Gingrow of Lancaster, Pa.; Mike Stack of Fairfax, Va.; Robert Stack of Virginia Beach, Va., William Stack of Palm Bay, Fl., Maureen Sappéy of Chestertown, Md., Peggy Vaughn of Frederick, Md., Patricia Stack of McLean, Va., Joseph Stack of Wilmington, N.C., Edward Stack of Chestertown, Md., Teresa Hunter of Clemmons, N.C., and Mickey Stack of Arlington, Va. JJ was devoted to his 24 grandchildren and a great-grandfather to 11. He was beloved by many nieces, nephews and friends in the US, Australia and Ireland.
A Time of Visitation is scheduled 10:00 am to 11:00 am on Tuesday, December 9, 2014 at the Colonial Funeral Home, 201 Edwards Ferry Rd, NE, Leesburg, VA 20176. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at noon on Dec. 9, 2014 at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, 750 Peachtree St, Herndon, VA 20170. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the William Childs Hospice House, 381 Medplex Parkway, Palm Bay, Fl. 32907 at www.health-First.org
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