John David "Jack" Rathert

John "Jack" David Rathert Sr. passed away on Oct. 9, 2024, in Anchorage, Alaska. Jack was born on Nov. 4, 1939, in Watertown, Wis., to Frances and William Rathert Sr. He attended Watertown High School, graduating in 1957. At the age of 17, he started at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, from which he was not ashamed to say he flunked out. He switched to the University of Wisconsin – Platteville, graduating in 1963 with a B.S. in civil engineering.
Jack drove to Alaska the week after college graduation to take a job with the State of Alaska Highway Department in Fairbanks, where he was a civil engineer on the University Avenue bridge. After the 1964 earthquake he moved to Anchorage to work for local engineering firms on projects, including the Elmendorf Air Force Base air traffic control tower. Here he met Carolyn Moeck, and they were married in 1965, and soon after moved to East Anchorage where they raised their family. In 1967, he joined Schlumberger Well Services as an engineer in the Alaska oil fields, work that he loved, which led to countless commutes to the North Slope and from which he retired in 1996.
With Carolyn, Jack built his dream retirement home on the bluff in Ninilchik, Alaska, overlooking Cook Inlet and had several decades enjoying the views, the eagles, taking friends and family salmon and halibut fishing, and sharing the place he loved. They also became snowbirds and spent winters in their RV, first travelling all over the U.S. and Mexico, and later settling into RV park life in Arizona to enjoy hot tubs, friends from all over the continent and the park community. Jack sang bass in the 65-member park chorus and was part of a recycling team salvaging aluminum cans to raise money for the food bank.
Jack loved Alaska and he loved his family. He loved boats and fishing, classic cars, diesel trucks, campers, building and fixing anything that needed to be fixed. He enjoyed sketching, playing harmonica, singing, single malt scotch and the Green Bay Packers. Later in life he particularly enjoyed listening to gospel music. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Carolyn Rathert; sons, John Rathert Jr. and Dan Rathert; their wives, Stephanie Rathert and Nicole Kimball; grandsons, Dylan Lundquist, Jack Rathert and Brodie Rathert; granddaughter, Brynn Rathert; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his brother William Rathert Jr. A memorial will be planned for spring 2025.