Jack Bortle passed away due to complications of pulmonary fibrosis on July 11, 2020, surrounded by a loving family. Jack was 84 years old.

Jack was the beloved husband of Joy (Tibbles) Bortle, cherished father of Jamie (Bortle) Walsh of St. Charles, MO, and Craig Bortle of Prescott Valley, AZ. Special grandfather to Riley Walsh, Reese Bortle, and Steven Shifflett. Dear brother to Blanche (Bortle) Spangler and the late Miranda Gertrude Bortle. Treasured cousin, uncle, great-uncle, brother-in-law, friend, and colleague.

Jack was born on August 12, 1935, to John Leslie Bortle, Sr. and Miranda Violetta (Shipley) Bortle in Hampden, MD a neighborhood in northern Baltimore, MD, and often described his childhood as idyllic. From playing in his favorite woods with his dog, Ned, to enjoying holidays and festivities with cousins and neighborhood friends and families, he often commented on what a special time it was. He graduated from Baltimore City College (an all-male high school) in Baltimore and went on to earn a Master’s Degree in Logistics from the University of Maryland-Baltimore.

Jack enlisted in the US Navy in 1953 proudly serving aboard the USS Holder DD/DDE819 from 1955 to 1957. He was honorably discharged in June of 1961. During those years, he formed many life- long friends. He and Joy enjoyed attending the annual USS Holder reunions, catching up with shipmates, and sharing many stories about those times.

Jack began his business career as the general traffic manager for Noxell (Noxzema) Corporation. In 1972, he became the Eastern area transportation manager for Xerox Corporation. He then joined McGraw-Edison Corporation as director of distribution. When Cooper Industries acquired McGraw-Edison, Jack transferred to St. Louis as director of distribution for Bussmann Manufacturing. He later joined Thermadyne Industries followed by Jackson Products. He retired from Jackson Products in 2000, as Partner and executive vice president of business development.

Jack’s hobbies included painting, gardening, hiking, traveling, and spending time with his family and many friends. He enjoyed genealogy, devoting many hours researching family history including writing a chronicle of his great-grandfather’s experiences during the Civil War based on letters that were written home to his great-grandmother. Jack was a mentor, teacher, storyteller, and a gentleman in the truest sense. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

Special thanks to the St. Luke’s Lung Research Center Team who cared for him over an eight-year period as he fought pulmonary fibrosis and grateful appreciation to the St. Luke’s Hospice Team who provided gentle, loving, and respectful care to Jack and his family during his final days.

A Celebration of Jack’s Life is being planned for September. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Children’s Hospital at www.stlouischildrens.org/giving.