Jack's Summer Sailing Scholarship

John "Jack" Lewis Progelhof, beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather passed away in Rockwall, Texas, on March 22, 2022 at the age of 87. Born on July 8, 1934 to John Carl and Madeline Progelhof in West Orange, New Jersey, Jack was raised on the Jersey shore where he loved swimming, fishing, and especially sailboat racing.

He graduated from West Orange High School in 1952, attended Newark College of Engineering, and graduated with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering in 1956. Jack worked 37 years for DuPont in engineering and management roles across Niagara Falls, Memphis, LaPorte (Houston), and Charleston, West Virginia, where he served as Assistant Plant Manager.

In the summer of 1957, a friend introduced him to Virginia "Ginny" Graves. They went sailing on their first date. Jack and Ginny were married in 1959 at Bacon Memorial Presbyterian Church and remained married for 62 years.

Jack owned two boats before he owned a car. With Ginny crewing, he won the Celebrity sailboat class national championship in 1959 and again in 1964. When the family moved from New York to Texas, he could sail nearly year-round. He was very active in the Galveston Bay Cruising Association, serving as Bay Race Chairman and Commodore. In 1996, Jack served on the Atlanta Olympic Sailing Race Committee.

In 1998, Jack and Ginny followed their sons John and Jeff to Heath, Texas, and joined Rush Creek Yacht Club, where Jack was a very active member — racing, volunteering, and opening his garage full of tools to boat projects for fellow members.

Jack is missed by his wife Ginny, his sons and their wives John and Nancy and Jeff and Erin, six grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.