John “Jack” Giegerich, Jr. OBITUARY
John �Jack� Giegerich Jr., 96, beloved husband, father, brother, uncle, friend, and classmate, passed away peacefully at home in Wayne, PA on April 21, 2024. Born on April 11, 1928, in New Bedford, MA, son of John and Ellen (Hughes) Giegerich, Jack spent his early years in Floral Park, NY, with sisters Marilyn and Cynthia. Jack attended Dartmouth where he earned a BA in Economics and an MBA from Tuck while pursuing many interests and lettering in lacrosse. After graduation, he enlisted in the Army and was deployed to Germany. He returned to the US and married Teddi Newman in 1954 with whom he raised two sons � John III and Steven. Jack worked for Armstrong Cork for ten years but took a leap of faith in 1964 to join his father, John Sr., in business, picking up the Pennsylvania sales territory for J.L. Giegerich and Associates, Inc., where he represented small manufacturers of sports equipment. This new career allowed Jack to mix business with his passions for skiing and tennis. The new career also allowed Jack and his family to settle in the Philadelphia suburbs; that area became his home for the next 60 years. In the early 1980s, Jack faced several tragedies, including the death of his son Steven in 1985. To memorialize his son, Jack created the Steven E. Giegerich Memorial Scholarship at Drexel, which has helped to educate 49 scholars to date, chosen for their kindness, humility, generosity, and willingness to and love for work: qualities that Jack personified. In 1989 he married his second wife, Carole, who became his partner for the spectacular �second act� of his life. Throughout his life, Jack was driven by his many interests and his desire to bring people together. He was passionate about tennis and played with a group of friends into his 90s. He was devoted to his alma mater, Dartmouth, and his classmates in the class of �51 with whom he shared a life-long bond. He was honored with the class�s �Spirit of �51� award for his leadership. Attending a class meeting on Zoom was nearly Jack�s last conscious act on earth. His beloved �Washington slept here� property, Greenwood Farm, became the nexus of many of his passions. Family and friends were kept busy resurrecting and maintaining the tennis court and pool, while Jack added elements that reflected his eclectic artistic taste through fountains and, together with Carole, beautiful gardens. The farm was the venue for numerous weddings and parties where Jack and Carole could welcome their extended family and friends. After extensive research, they successfully listed Greenwood Farm on the National Registry of Historic Places. Jack had an insatiable thirst for knowledge and understanding. He pursued interests that spanned collecting American art and antiques, studying Jungian psychology, taking classes from The Barnes Foundation, philosophy seminars, even discussing new-age spiritual ideas. He was active in book and discussion groups in his final year. A staunch Republican, he never flinched from defending conservative values but also listened with an open heart. At St. David�s Episcopal Church, Jack served on the Vestry and was active in multiple fellowship, study, and outreach groups, including founding a feeding ministry that has continued for over 30 years. This quote from Jos� Ortega y Gasset, which Jack wrote in his 50th reunion yearbook, nicely sums him up: �So many things fail to interest us, simply because they don�t find in us enough surfaces on which to live, and what we have to do is to increase the number of planes in our mind, so that a much larger number of themes can find a place in it at the same time.� Jack�s themes were family, church, sports, art, and self-education. Jack was preceded in death by his parents, John and Ellen Giegerich, his sister Marilyn O�Brien, and his son Steven. He is survived by his wife of 35 years Carole Prudhon Giegerich; his son John L Giegerich III (Jackie); his sister Cynthia Wallace; his stepdaughters Danielle Francis (Chris) and Laura Mack; his grandchildren Abigail, Adam, and Evan Francis; and many nephews and nieces, their children and grandchildren. Jack�s memorial service will be held at 11 am on June 15, 2024, at St David�s Episcopal Church, 763 S Valley Forge Rd, Radnor, PA 19087 in the Chapel. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations will be given to St David�s Church to support the important work that Jack was devoted to in his lifetime (https://onrealm.org/StDavidsRadnor/-/form/give/now). The service will be streamed at https://stdavidschurch.org/. Chadwick & McKinney FH www.chadwickmckinney.com
