John J. Dittrick Jr.

John J. Dittrick Jr. VIRGINIA BEACH - Captain John J. Dittrick Jr., "Jack," 73, died peacefully Veteran's Day, Nov. 11, 2009. His strength, kindness, integrity, sense of humor and uplifting presence will be dearly missed by his family, friends, neighbors and work colleagues. Born in Elizabeth, N.J., May 3, 1936, beloved son to Dorothy and John Dittrick Sr., Jack grew up to become a distinguished Navy pilot, Navy captain, professor and vice dean, and most dearly, a beloved husband, father, uncle, cousin and friend. A Class of 1958 U.S. Naval Academy graduate, Jack pursued a naval career, while also earning his master's degree and doctorate. He and his wife Carolyn were married Dec. 29, 1962 and in 1964, they moved to Monterey, Calif., where Jack received a master's degree in operations analysis from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School and subsequently taught at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., where their daughter Jill was born in 1968. Jack's naval career spanned 29 years with distinguished responsibilities including deployments as a naval aviator flying the carrier based E-1B Tracer and the E-2 Hawkeye, both Airborne Early Warning Aircraft, aboard the carriers USS Independence, USS Saratoga, USS Shangri La, USS F.D. Roosevelt and the USS America to Southeast Asia and the Mediterranean. He was the officer in charge of the E-1B detachment on the USS Roosevelt and the commanding officer of both VAW-124 on the USS America and RVAW-120 training squadron located in Norfolk. Following that, he served on several staffs with the chief of Naval Operations, CINCLANTFLT and participated in a SECNAV sponsored study examining the roles and capabilities of the U.S. Navy. In spite of earthquakes and having to master the Italian language, Jack's tour as commanding officer of the U.S. Naval Support Activity Base in Naples, Italy, was the most challenging and rewarding tour of his naval career. Jack, Carolyn and Jill returned from Italy in 1986, where Jack then served as the chief of staff at the Safety Center. He retired from the Navy in 1987, and shortly after launched his career as a visiting professor of statistics at The College of William & Mary School of Business. In 1992, Jack became the associate dean for undergraduate programs at the University of Southern California School of Business, where he initiated a mentor program to help link students to real-world experience. He was made vice dean and traveled to numerous countries to bring in foreign students to the business program. He also initiated an annual nationwide case competition held at USC. In June 2001, Jack returned to The College of William & Mary as assistant dean of the School of Business. Jack's memory will forever live in the hearts of all who knew him, especially his wife Carolyn and daughter Jill. He is also survived by cousins and sisters-in-law and their families - the Fassetts, the Lees, the Muccinos, the Dittricks, the Siessels, the Dayers and the Shillingers. Jack used to say that life's true success is family and friendship and that each person deserves to be treated with dignity. His family, many friends and neighbors loved the true pleasure of his company, his easygoing, friendly, kind warmth and easy smiles, his extraordinary sense of humor, and his steadiness in being true to his word. His life will be honored and celebrated Saturday, Dec. 5, at 1:30 p.m. at Eastern Shore Chapel Episcopal Church, 2020 Laskin Road, Virginia Beach. In lieu of flowers, donations in Memory of John J. Dittrick Jr. may be made to the following organizations: National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center, 2085 Adelbert Road, Room 419, Cleveland, OH 44106 and Ocean Conservancy Membership Dept., 8th Floor, 1300 19th St., NW, Washington, DC 20036. Online condolences may be made at hdoliver.com.