John E. Bacon, retired from CIA
John E. Bacon, 78, passed away Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020, at his home in Fenwick Island. His spouse Carolyn and oldest son Timothy were by his side. He was the son of the late Dr. Frank S. and Lucille C. Bacon of Washington, D.C., and lived there, or in the nearby Maryland suburbs for most of his life.
Though John left to attend St. Vincent Prep High School in Latrobe, Pa., he returned to D.C. to attend George Washington University, where he studied international affairs as both an undergraduate and graduate student from 1960-66. He was recruited into the CIA in 1966, serving first as an analyst, but subsequently working in several other intelligence disciplines over his career spanning 35 years. John rose to the senior ranks, retiring as an office director in 1997. He paused in that career several times; once to attend the University of Indiana in Bloomington, where he earned graduate degrees in public administration and organizational psychology, and later, when he was assigned to the Federal Executive Institute in Charlottesville, Va., teaching and developing a new and aspiring cadre of federal senior managers. John loved teaching, and taught undergraduate courses in public administration and behavioral science for the University of Virginia as a part-time adjunct professor for almost 10 years.
After his retirement in 1997, John moved first to the waters off the Potomac River in Virginia, where he spent four years building a house on his own, restoring old outbuildings, and writing about the Indians who once lived there for the local historical association. He developed a mentoring program for at-risk kids with the local county, acquiring grants from the state from tobacco settlement funds. He finally settled on the Delaware beaches in 2002 because of his love of the Inland Bays. John was a sailor and naturalist, and could be found in the summer months on the Rehoboth Bay competing in local small boat races, or cleaning up the bays. He was a volunteer for the Retired Senior Volunteer Program of Sussex County and active in his local community where he was a board member and served on several committees. He met his surviving spouse, Carolyn Bacon, in 2005 and they were married in 2007. John and Carolyn were often seen walking hand in hand along the ocean and bays.
John's favorite times were with his family. He was blessed with three children, Timothy, Joshua, and Brooke, and spent much of his time with them, playing in the yard or coaching sports. They were the delight of his life and with little provocation he could spin long stories about the joys he experienced with his kids. John was an avid camper, and many weekends were spent in the state parks around a campfire.
In addition to his parents, John was preceded in death by his sister, Mary. He is survived by his spouse, Carolyn; his three children; his stepdaughter, Tiffany Climent; his grandchildren: Reed, Sophie, Phoebe, Finn, Emma, Maya and Tessa Bacon, Hannah DiNinno, and Melanie and Sophia Climent; his sister, Frances Holly; and many nieces and nephews.
A funeral service will be held Oct. 17, at 1:30 p.m., at Bethel Mariners Methodist Church, 81 Central Ave., Ocean View, where friends may visit beginning at 12:30 p.m. A celebration of John's life will follow the services at VFW Post 7234, 29265 Marshy Hope Way, Ocean View, from 3 to 5 p.m. Arrangements are being handled by Parsell Funeral Homes and Crematorium, Clarksville Chapel, Ocean View.
Contributions in John's memory may be made to any cancer treatment or research institute.
Please visit John's Life Memorial Webpage and sign his online guestbook at www.parsellfuneralhomes.com.
