John "Jack" G Nordahl

Peterborough, NH

John “Jack” G. Nordahl, 84, of Peterborough died on November 20, 2017 at RiverMead Lifecare Community after a period of failing health. Jack was born in Orange, NJ on June 14, 1933 the son of John Gustafson Nordahl and Carolyn (Gibby) Nordahl.

Jack is survived by his loving wife of almost 62 years, Lucy (Hoge) Nordahl of Peterborough and his children; Ellen Brandt of Groton, MA and John E. Nordahl and his wife Jean of Las Vegas, NV. He will also be missed by his two grandsons; Keaton Brandt of WA and Milo Brandt of CT and by his siblings; Bill Nordahl of NJ and Elizabeth Nordahl of CA and by his dog, Dallas.

Jack spent his childhood in Summit, NJ, the oldest of four siblings.  In 1955, he earned a degree in Electrical Engineering from MIT and moved to Pennsylvania to work on one of the world’s first electronic computers: Remington Rand’s Univac.  Later he worked at small companies, eventually becoming a specialist in medical electronics.  

In 1959  Jack and Lucy moved to Lexington, Massachusetts to raise their own children. Two daughters, Ann in 1959 and Allison in 1963 died in infancy from spinal muscular atrophy.  Jack mourned their loss his entire life.  Jack was a loving father to his two surviving children and a faithful husband. He had a mischievous sense of fun and a fondness for bad puns. He was an introvert who liked quiet time to himself, but he almost always had a dog by his side.

Jack was a lover of the outdoors. He enjoyed hiking, bicycling, cross country skiing and boating.  He found solace in the woods and on the water.  After he retired from engineering the 1980s, he developed a passion for Astronomy and, after thousands of hours of research, he self-published a book on the topic. He also enjoyed organic gardening and was a proponent of natural healing methods.

In 1979 he and Lucy purchased a farmhouse on 22 acres in the mountains of Bethel, Maine. They established permanent residence there in 1993.  In 2008, they bought a condo in Sanibel, FL so Jack could bicycle, boat and walk the beach during the winter months.  In 2016, the couple bought a cottage at Rivermead to be closer to their daughter, but Jack was reluctant to leave his beloved Maine.

Funeral services will be private for the family.

In lieu of flowers the family suggests that memorial contributions be made in Jack’s name to Mahoosuc Land Trust, PO Box 981, Bethel, ME  04217

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