John Ryder Wittpenn

John R. Wittpenn, 95, passed away on Sunday, December 8 peacefully at his home in Vero Beach, Florida.

Jack was born in 1929 to Florence Holt and John Nicholas Wittpenn he was raised in Glen Ridge, New Jersey where he met and married his high-school sweetheart Shirley Elise Kline and together they raised their own family in Glen Ridge. They then moved to Peapack New Jersey until relocating full time to Vero Beach, Florida.

Jack graduated from Rutgers University in 1951 with Phi Beta Kappa honors. He was a Second Lieutenant in the US Army Reserve from 1951 to 1954.

He joined his father at Rockland Chemical Company – founded by his grandfather. He ran the company – later Rockland Corporation – for 50+ years expanding its geographical reach and product lines from primarily animal health products into specialty products for the care of turfgrass, trees, gardens and pets. He was a director of the Chemical Producers and Distributors Association and the NJ Turfgrass Association where he was named Man of the Year in 1987.

Jack was a director of the Glen Ridge Savings and Loan for 22 years including two years as Vice Chairman. He also served as a director of Thomas Jefferson Life Insurance Company, Purchase New York for 12 years.

He gave freely of himself to a variety of volunteer organizations; Glen Ridge Board of Education, Board of Deacons – Glen Ridge Congregational Church, Peapack-Gladstone Town Council, Peapack-Gladstone Planning Board, Grand Harbor Outreach volunteer, Indian River/Cleveland Clinic Hospital and The Food Pantry of Indian River County where he was a board member and weekly volunteer.

Jack loved time with family and just weeks ago attended his own 95th birthday weekend celebration surrounded by 20+ members of his family spanning four generations. He loved to travel and he and Shirley visited all seven continents. He was a member of Grand Harbor Golf and Tennis and former member of Mendham Golf Club and Somerset Lake and Game Club. He played golf twice a week until recently and lived by the motto “I want to wear out and not rust out”.

He is predeceased by his loving wife of 62 years Shirley – or “Mimi” to the grands and great-grands; and is survived by his four children, Susan (Dan) Ott, John (Denise) Wittpenn, Ann Wittpenn, Bob (Susan) Wittpenn; seven grandchildren Jack (Kelly) Wittpenn, Jimmy (Helen) Wittpenn, Joseph (Danielle) Wittpenn, Katie (Antonio) Alvarez, Emily Ott, Maggie Wittpenn, Sarah Wittpenn and four great grandchildren, Tripp and Lilly Mae Alvarez, Parker Wittpenn and Madison Wittpenn.

Memorial gifts in Jack’s memory can be made to Food Pantry of Indian River County, 2206 16th Ave, Vero Beach FL 32960.

There will be a gathering at Jack’s home – 1725 Victoria Circle, Grand Harbor – for friends on Sunday, January 5th, from 2 to 4 p.m., with an informal remembrance starting there at 2:15 p.m.

Interment will be at Glen Ridge Congregational Church at a later date.

Arrangements are by Thomas S. Lowther Funeral Home & Crematory, Vero Beach.