Jadwin Frederick Sortore

Jadwin F. Sortore, a formerly licensed merchant marine ship captain, of Aiken, South Carolina, passed away on July 16, 2013, at the age of 75. He was born in Metuchen, New Jersey, and graduated from Metuchen High School in 1955 and Lafayette College, where he was a member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity. Upon graduation in 1959, he entered the Navy via the Reserve Officer Candidate program after nine weeks of training each college summer in Newport, Rhode Island. He rose to the rank of Commander. He was Captain of the Navy warship USS Fairfax County for 2 1/2 years. After serving as a Navy gunnery officer in Vietnam, he earned a Master's degree from Brown University where he held the academic rank of Assistant Professor teaching Navigation. During his 26-year Navy career, he served in 13 different ships and shore stations. Upon retirement from active duty, he started and later directed and taught for 11 years, the Navy Junior ROTC program at Linden High School in New Jersey. His program won the "Navy Honor School" award for eight years. Loving golf, his best round at his home course, The Reserve Golf Club, was a 78. Additionally during retirement, he tended his garden, built ship models and doll houses and toured interesting places both in this country and Europe.

At various stages during his lifetime, he belonged to several golf clubs and was a founding member of The Reserve Club, several Episcopal or Anglican churches, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, Toastmasters International, Rotary Club, Military Officers Association, American Master Mariners, Board of the Center for Creative Retirement in SC, President of the 50 couple Metuchen Riding and Hunt Club for 2 years, President of the Hilton Head Chapter, Aiken Chapter and state regional Vice President of the Sons of the American Revolution and, for two years, State Regent of the South Carolina Magna Charta Society.

Captain Sortore was married to the former Marian Poole of Kent, England. He leaves three married daughters; Julia Mehle, Martha Adkins, and Rebecca Robinson all of Virginia Beach and four lovely granddaughters.

Out of great respect for the Navajo Code Talkers, In lieu of flowers, please send donations to ONNSFA (Office of Navajo Nation Scholarship & Financial Assistance) www.onnsfa.org

Memorial services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 20, 2013 at All Saint's Anglican Church, 110 Fairfield St., NE, Aiken, SC, 29801, under the care of GEORGE FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION CENTER, Aiken.