John S. Somerville Of Fair Haven Dies At 100

Courtesy of John E. Day Funeral Home:

John S. Somerville, 100, of Fair Haven, passed away peacefully at his home on June 12, 2015.

He was born in Evanston, IL to John and Corinne Patton Somerville and, as a youngster, divided his time between Chicago and Sarasota, FL. He graduated high school from Asheville School, Asheville, NC in 1934 and earned his College degree in engineering from Cornell University in 1938.

John proudly served his country in the U.S. Army. He moved to Fort Monmouth, New Jersey as Private in the U.S. Army and when he left for England and Scotland to advise on radar, he was promoted to 2nd and then 1st lieutenant. At the end of the war he was sent to Hawaii, where was set up a new radar on the highest mountain. After he was discharged from army he went to work for AT&T in California; later at Bell Laboratories in Holmdel, NJ. After he retired in Columbus, Ohio he moved back to New Jersey to be closer to family and friends.

He lived in and raised his five children in California, New Jersey and Ohio. John was a loving and caring son, brother, husband, father and grandfather. He got so much joy from all of his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He enjoyed traveling to many places around the world. One of his favorite hobbies was trains. He loved to show children his train set up and visit trains wherever he went. He loved photography and was tech savvy all the way into his late 90’s, using his digital camera and computers to make his own greeting cards for family and friends.

Some of his favorite things were swimming at the beach and in his pool, feeding and watching birds, tinkering with electronics, growing tomatoes and making apple pie. John was a fun-loving, thoughtful man who enjoyed his long life.

He was preceded in death by his first wife Julia Ann Mattei and his second wife Natalie (Dede) Bossert Heermans, his parents John S. Somerville and Corrine, and his sisters Corrine Repsold, Suzanne Faulkner and Carol Cory. He is survived by his five children, Jean Somerville Skinner of Fort Jones, Ca, Richard M. Somerville and wife Debbie, Glencoe, Mn, Thomas P. Somerville and wife Kim of Middletown, NJ, Sarah Somerville and husband Rodney Jester of Arden, De, and Eleanor A. Somerville Trapp and husband Greg of Columbus Ohio, his many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

He is also survived by his four step-children, Pat Martin, of Vero Beach, Fl, Holly Smith, Rumson, NJ, John Heerman’s, NY and Africa, and Chuck Heermans, Arizona and their children and grandchildren.

Visitation will be held from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, June 16 at the John E. Day Funeral Home, 85 Riverside Avenue, Red Bank. A memorial service celebrating John’s life will be held at 1 p.m. on Thursday, June 18t at First Presbyterian Church at Red Bank, 255 Harding Rd., Red Bank, NJ 07701. Burial will be private, at the discretion of the family.

Memorial donations may be made in John’s memory to American Red Cross Jersey Coast Chapter.