John Daniel (Jack) Kunlo

John Daniel (Jack) Kunlo, 89, of King George County passed away peacefully at Poet’s Walk Memory Care, Fredericksburg, Virginia, on Friday, July 23, 2021.

Jack was born on October 21, 1931, in Washington, D.C. He graduated from Gonzaga College High School in 1949 and from Georgetown University  in 1953, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in physics. He successfully completed numerous graduate and undergraduate training courses and designations in Astronomy, Celestial Mechanics, Computer Science, and Mathematics.

Jack’s entire civilian career – save his two-year military stint in the US Army – was spent as a physicist at Dahlgren, Virginia, with the US Naval Surface Weapons Center, Naval Weapons Laboratory, Naval Space Surveillance System, Naval Space Surveillance Facility and Naval Proving Grounds.

Jack married his loving wife, Marie (who predeceased him in 2013) on Aug. 22, 1953. They were married just shy of 60 years. They had five children, Anne Marie Scully (Edward “EJ” Rowland), Barbara Jeanne “BJ” DeJarnette (William “Billy”), Kathleen Louise “Katie” Dellinger (Robert), Joseph Patrick Kunlo (Lucia) and Mary Ellen Cole (Kenneth Randall “Randy”); nine grandchildren, John Daniel DeJarnette (Tiffany), William Dean DeJarnette (Meghan), Richard Anthony DeJarnette (Caroline), Rachael Marie (Kunlo) McDermott (Kevin), Robert Driver Kunlo (Julia), Victoria Crayton (Kunlo) Andrews (Temple), Ryan Calhoun Cole (Jennifer), Brenden James Cole (Stephanie) and Travis Randall Cole (Sofia); and seven great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his parents, Joseph Anthony Kunlo and Mildred Cecilia Kunlo.

Jack’s entire life was spent devoted to his family, church and community. In his early years, he was a scout leader, CCD teacher at the Sacred Heart Chapel at Dahlgren and later, at St. Anthony’s Church in King George. He was a band booster and athletic booster. With his wife Marie, he co-chaired the church’s social concerns committee, the SHARE Program and the current Outreach for the Needy Program.

He was a 4^th Degree Member of the Knights of Columbus. Through his wife Marie, he became a very active volunteer with Special Olympics. Two of his proudest moments were when the family was honored as Virginia Special Olympics Family of the Year in 1983, and then honored in 1984, by first lady Nancy Reagan at the White House as one of the ten Great American Families in the USA.

He also served RACSB in a variety of volunteer positions.  From July 2007 to June 2016 John was appointed by the King George County Board to serve on the Board of Directors for Rappahannock Area Community Service Board.  Jack served on the Personnel Committee for one (1) year; Finance Committee for eight (8) years, and Program Planning and Evaluation Committee for all nine (9) years. During his years of service, RACSB expanded services to meet the growing and changing needs of the community.

A rosary service will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 28, followed by a visitation until 8:30 p.m. at Storke Funeral Home, King George, VA. A Mass of celebration of his life will be held at 10 a.m. on Thursday, July 29, at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, King George. Interment will follow in the church cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to RACSB, 600 Jackson St., Fredericksburg, VA 22401.