John R. van Dyke, Sussex YMCA founder

John Richardson van Dyke of Twining Village in Holland, Pa., died Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2015, at the age of 102. Throughout his life his high energy benefitted his “can do” attitude. With a warm smile and inclusive outlook, he welcomed everybody. His infectious loving nature was reciprocated by others, sustaining him in his final decades.

Born in Newark, N.J., to Ernest Caldwell and Carrie Richardson van Dyke, he graduated from The Choate School, Wallingford, Conn., and Princeton University. In 1934 at IBM he began a career devoted to designing systems for the insurance industry. Joining the Prudential Insurance Co., he was responsible for major systems changes in the Group Insurance Department. Later he was in charge of systems for the State Mutual Assurance Co. In 1959 he joined RCA’s Computer Systems Division as manager of financial marketing, moving on to the Univac division of Sperry Rand with Univac’s acquisition of the business from RCA.

During World War II he helped design and manage the United States Strategic Bombing Survey. The survey was approved by Roosevelt and Churchill at the Casablanca Conference for determining the most effective bombing methods. The RAF favored night area bombing while the US preferred daylight strategic bombing. All US and RAF bombing mission reports were sent to Newark to be coded and relayed daily to England. After the war he designed and installed a system to automate Princeton University’s Registrar Office which was urgently needed to process the influx of numerous returning students from military service.

After retiring from Sperry Rand in 1977 he moved to Rehoboth Beach with his wife Nina to the home they had built in 1950. Active in All Saints' Episcopal Church, he served as senior warden and on the Finance Committee.

Inspired by results of a Kiwanis survey indicating a vital need for a local YMCA, he led a grassroots effort to start a YMCA. In 1980 he founded The Sussex Family YMCA and became its first president. Later he was appointed to the YMCA of Delaware’s Board of Directors and Board of Managers. In 2005 he was inducted into Delaware’s YMCA Hall of Fame and in 2006 honored with its Legacy Award. Also he helped initiate in Milford a Continuing Education Program under the University of Delaware. He was a member of the Kiwanis Club, Henlopen Acres Beach Club and the Rehoboth Beach Country Club. At Princeton he was a member of the Glee Club where for three years they performed with the Philadelphia Orchestra under Leopold Stokowski.

His long life was the product of his extraordinary positive attitude, zest for life and sustained by the love of his family and many friends.

He is survived by sons John and wife Mimi of Darien, Conn. and Carter and wife Lynn of Doylestown, Pa.; daughter Nina of New York City; granddaughter Alyssa Kim and husband Scott of Mountainside, N.J.; and niece Susan Corcoran of Richmond, Va. He is also survived by five exchange student daughters of Carter and Lynn - Yukiko Muto, Katrin End, Carolina Latorre Gopfert, Andrea End and Anne End Matissek. His wife of nearly 61 years, Nina Piper van Dyke, pre-deceased in 2001.

A funeral service will be held at All Saints' Episcopal Church, Rehoboth Beach, Monday, Jan. 19, at 11 a.m. Interment will be in St. George’s Chapel Cemetery.

There will be a Memorial Service held at the Kelly Auditorium at Twining Village, 280 Middle Holland Road, Holland, starting at 2:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 21.

Contributions in his memory may be given to the Sussex Family YMCA, 20080 Church St., Rehoboth Beach DE 19971, or the Healing Gardens at Twining Village, 280 Middle Holland Road, Holland, PA 18966.