John Paul Roth
1928 - 2023
John Paul Roth lived a full, productive, and happy life spanning the better part of the last century. He was a proud veteran, American, and a member of The Greatest Generation. He was dedicated to service, as a Flight Engineer in the United States Air Force for 20 years. He also served as a Camden (DE) Town Councilman and Chair of the Camden-Wyoming Sewer and Water Authority for many years.
John Paul was born in 1928 the first son of recent immigrants from Hungary, Leopold and Julia (née Oros) Roth, and raised in Maplewood, New Jersey. After attending high school, he joined the US Army Air Corps in 1946 and trained as an aircraft mechanic. He later qualified as a flight engineer on the C47 aircraft, with his first missions being Operations Vittles, flying supplies into Berlin during the Soviet Blockade. He flew extensively throughout Europe during the early phases of the Cold War as well as support for Project Gnome, and for the US Embassy in the Philippines. He flew on many different aircraft including the C118, C46, and C124 aircraft. He was stationed in many countries to include Greece and Germany and spent most of the 1950s living in Europe.
While in Europe, he met the love of his life, Gilberte Fouillien of Chenee-Liege, Belgium, and in 1958 they wed. They would spend the next 57 years together until her passing in 2015.
After retiring from the United States Air Force in 1966, John became a key member of the engineering and development team for the Boeing 747 in Renton, Washington. He was part of the team that flew the plane on its first long haul over water flight from Renton, Washington to Hawaii and back. In 1970 he and his family returned to Delaware and settled in Camden, where he and his wife raised their three sons. There John worked as a construction foreman for Puella and Baldini Builders and had a final career with the Delaware State Housing Authority, finally fully retiring after 28 years of service to the state.
John enjoyed fishing, dining out, building projects, and seemed to be able to fix anything. He loved spending time with his family, grandchildren and great grandchild. While living in Erie John loved playing Pinochle with his friends at GECAC West Erie Senior Center.
John is survived by his three sons, Frank Nicholas (Sandra) of Waldorf, MD, Paul Gerard of Lewes, DE, and John Stephen (Tracy) of Erie, PA. He is also survived by eight grandchildren, Taylor, Gabrielle, Michaela (Vincent), Devon, Sarah, Ian, Paige and Kieran; and one great grandson, Enzo Michael. Loving mention is given to his "adopted" daughter, Anna Verscheure (Brussels, Belgium); as well as nieces, Arlette and Pascale Parisis (Liege, Belgium) and Cindy and Cathy Roth; along with sister-in-law, Christa Roth (all of New Jersey).
He was preceded in death by his wife of 57 years, Gilberte; and his brother, Frank W. Roth; and nephew, Marc Parisis.
A Celebration of Life will be held at 12:00 P.M., Friday, April 21, 2023 at the Pippin Funeral Home, 119 W. Camden Wyoming Avenue, Wyoming DE 19934 where friends may visit with the family from 11:00 A.M. until 12:00 P.M. Friday. Burial with military honors will follow in Odd Fellows Cemetery, Camden.
Online condolences may be made via www.pippinfuneralhome.com.