John W. “Jack” Shivers, Jr., 82, passed away November 12 at his home in Owings, MD. He was born May 3, 1932, the oldest child of John W. Shivers, Sr. and Lillian Phillips Shivers, and grew up in the village of Allen in Wicomico County, MD. Jack loved the family farm and he loved riding horses. From the time he was a small child he often road with his Dad on Sunday afternoons. Jack also enjoyed working with wood as well as other crafts. He graduated from Wicomico High School in Salisbury in 1950, and worked briefly as a cabinetmaker. Later he took business courses at Strayer College in Washington, DC.
From 1954 until 1956 he served in the United States Army, including a tour of duty in Germany. During that time he traveled to many of the countries of Europe when he was on leave and took many slides, as well as writing wonderfully descriptive letters back home to his family. After his release from the army, he became manager of a filling station, Shivers Gulf Service in Salisbury. In 1959 he relocated to College Park, MD, where he was manager of Canary Cottages and Mobile Home Village, owned by the A B & S Corporation, of which he later became part owner.
Jack married Joyce Harrington, on January 2, 1960, and they made their home in College Park until 1983, when Canary Cottages was sold. They then moved to Owings in Calvert County, MD, and Jack began work at the Southern States Cooperative in Upper Marlboro. After retirement he enjoyed gardening and having coffee with his friends at McDonalds each morning.
Jack is survived by his devoted wife of 54 years, Joyce, sons Kelvin Morton (Carrie) and Wade Allen, and grandson Jack Michael Shivers. Also surviving are his brother George R. Shivers (Jeanette) and his sister Emma L. Shivers, all of Chestertown, MD, nieces, Julieta Tord Diggs (David) of Severna Park, MD and Dori Shivers (Justin Fertig) of Baltimore and a brother-in-law Gene Jones and his family.