John H. "Jack" Blodgett Jr.

Age 74, formerly of Swampscott and Marblehead, Mass, died peacefully on Feb 12, 2002, at MacLeod Manor in Winterport, ME, where for the past two years he had been well-cared for while suffering from dementia. He was born on June 5, 1927, the son of John Henry Blodgett and Ruth (Paine) Blodgett of Swampscott, MA. Jack was predeceased by his parents and by his sisters, Doris Ward Blodgett and Anne Blodgett Mayo. Surviving are his sister, Esther B. Meyer and brother, Donald Ward Blodgett, both of Swampscott; his daughters, Heidi Vissering of Bullhead City, AZ and Doris Hearty of Weston, MA; his sons John R. Blodgett of Rockport, ME and David Blodgett of Weston, CT. He also leaves one granddaughter and six grandsons. He had been married twice, to Nancy (Watson) Blodgett, the mother of their four children, and to Charlene G. Blodgett. Jack graduated from Belmont Hill School and Princeton University and served in the US Coast Guard. He owned and operated the travel agency, Raymond and Whitcomb Co, in Boston, MA until 1993. Jack's greatest joy was sailing. He took to the water as a youngster and, throughout his life, competed in local, national and international races. He loved to share his extensive knowledge of yacht racing and seamanship. He was past commodore of the Pleon Yacht Club and the Corinthian Yacht Club in Marblehead, MA. He also enjoyed skiing, music and travel and over the years was involved in a variety of small business interests in Marblehead. In honor of Jack and his lifelong love of sailing, his family has set up two youth sailing scholarship funds. Memorial gifts may be given in his name to the Pleon Yacht Club, P.O Box 160, Marblehead MA 01945 or to the Atlantic Challenge Foundation, 643 Main St, Rockland, ME 04841. His family will gather privately to honor his passing.