On January 24th, Jack’s final ship passed over the horizon to God, family and friends waiting for him on the other side ready to greet him. He was 79 years old. He spent his last years at the Emmanuel Center in Danville, Pennsylvania and spent many years living in Nanticoke, Pennsylvania. Jack was born in Brooklyn, New York and spent his high school years attending Bishop Laughlin High School in Brooklyn before transferring to Far Rockaway High School in Queens, New York where he graduated in 1961. Jack had a love for his family, the sea and the US Navy. After graduating high school, he immediately joined the US Navy where he proudly served as a Gunner’s Mate in Vietnam, the Philippines, the Cuban Missile Crisis, Beirut, and Germany amongst other duty stations. He finished his military service on the USS Oliver Hazard Perry in Philadelphia from where he retired as a Petty Officer First Class. Outside of the Navy, Jack worked for the US Postal Service. He loved carrying mail and getting to know the folks on his route and caring about them. He would often eat lunch in the homes of people on his route. After retirement from the Postal Service, Jack returned back to the sea and worked on the Schooner Appledore that sailed out of Key West, Florida and Camden, Maine. He loved teaching the tourists how to sail, letting them raise the sails and steer the schooner. He told many stories about the yearly sail from Key West to Camden. He loved that boat. After sailing the Appledore, Jack went on to take a job as a bus driver for the Greater Nanticoke Area School District. He touched the lives of many students and parents. He always strived to pay attention and truly care for the students on his bus and kept the students’ parents cares in mind. In Jack’s final years at the Emmanuel Center in Danville he continued to work. He always looked out for the needs of the other residents and listened to the staff when they needed to talk. He became very close within that community and loved everyone there. Oh, he also had a great sense of humor. He had a love for a great chili dog, fried chicken, RailRiders games and the New York Mets. Growing up as a Brooklyn Dodgers fan he hated the thought of the “fake Dodgers in California”. He always enjoyed getting back to New York to see his childhood memories and the ocean. Pop Jack enjoyed every minute with his granddaughters Isabella, Gretchen and Lucy. He was always proud of their accomplishments and loved witnessing events they were involved in. He loved them so much. Jack was an active in the American Legion; the VFW, serving as Past Commander; as well as Masonic Lodge, Irem Shriners in the Shepherds Unit, and the Scottish Rite, Bloomsburg. He was preceded in death by his parents Lynwood and Virginia Pickle, and sister, Veronica. He leaves behind his brother Arthur and wife Terry; his former wife Virginia; his daughter Christine Kropiewnicki and husband, Jamie and granddaughter Isabella; his son, Brian Pickle and wife, Laurie and granddaughters Gretchen and Lucy; and one niece, four nephews and their children. Fair Winds and Following Seas buddy. Funeral services will begin 10:30 a.m. Thursday from Dinelli Family Funeral Home,170 East Broad Street, Nanticoke with a Mass of Christian Burial at 11 a.m. at St. Faustina Kowalska Parish, 520 S. Hanover Street, Nanticoke. Interment will follow in Holy Trinity Cemetery, Sheatown, with military honors. Viewing and visitation will be at the funeral home Thursday from 9 a.m. until transferal to the church. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the ALS Association. Donations can be given at donate.als.org.