John P. "Jack" Sigman

Retired Colonel John "Jack" P. Sigman, 86, formerly of Indigo Farm, Reva, passed away Wednesday, June 23, 2004 at Westminster Canterbury of the Blue Ridge, Charlottesville. Colonel Sigman was born April 7, 1918 in Ecourse, Michigan, to the late Philip LeRoy Sigmann (The original spelling of the family name) and the late Grace Elizabeth Schulte Sigmann. Jack's father was a musician and when the Depression hit Florida, it forced him to move to New York City. After he was six weeks old Jack was raised by his aunt, Mary Blair Wilson, his grandmother, grandfather, and his step-grandmother. When he turned five years old he moved to Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Colonel Sigman attended the University of Miami for one year and transferred to the University of Virginia to study pre-law. He entered the aviation program as a cadet Marine in his junior year – 1941 and graduated from NAS Miami fighter squadron. He eventually earned a degree from San Diego State. Upon graduation he received orders to the Naval Air Station in San Diego (North Island) where he went through a special course for carrier landings. Jack received orders and flew in a China Clipper (huge seaplane), priority one, from Sand Diego to Pearl Harbor, Landing at EVA, Marine Corps Air Station at Oahu, he joined the VMF-212 (1st Fighter Squadron in the South Pacific). Landing in the New Hebrides, he finally flew in to Guadalcanal. The Fighting squadron with which he was affiliated lost three pilots of 27 in combat. It was responsible for gunning down a total of 96 Japanese aircraft. The Colonel's contribution to WWII was significant and his tour of duty extremely varied. He returned to the United States on December 7, 1946, having earned 6 distinguished flying crosses and 13 air medals. Other duty stations that the Colonel was assigned to were Pensacola, Florida; Atlanta, Georgia; Barren Field, Florida; Cherry Point, North Carolina, Okinawa (on the command ship of Admiral Kelly Turner); North China (Marine Amphibious Corps); Japan; back to Cherry Point, North Carolina as a squadron commander; Quantico (amphibious warfare helicopter training, then instructor and later as executive officer at Staff and Command School), Virginia. The Colonel retired from the Marine headquarters in Washington, D.C. in 1967. Colonel Sigman was married to Katharine Slaughter on November 14, 1944, until her passing in 1980. Katherine had two daughters Katharine Boaz Lawrence of New Smyrna Beach, Fla. and Louise Boaz Frisina of Rochester, N.Y. Jack and Katharine bought Indigo Farm, 320 acres in Culpeper County in 1948, where they raised black angus cattle for 23 years. Her retired to Indigo and lived in the home he built on Indigo Ridge the year Katharine passed. The Colonel was married to Mary Elizabeth Baird from 1984 until her passing in 1988. The spring of 2002 Jack moved to Westminster Canterbury of the Blue Ridge, Charlottesville. Also surviving Jack are eight grandchildren and eighteen great-grandchildren and a very good friend and fellow Marine, Eddie Bryant. A grandchild preceded Jack in death. His words of wisdom to the next generation "Get a good education and make sure it leads to being a professional". Funeral services are July 1 at 10 a.m. at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Culpeper with Rev. Michael Gray conducting the service. Full military honors will be provided by the U.S.M.C. Interment will be in Warrenton Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made in his name to St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Building Fund, 115 N. East St., Culpeper, Va. 22701. Condolences may be sent via e-mail to moreinfo@cloreenglish.com. The family has entrusted Clore-English Funeral home with these arrangements.