John Herbert Seites

John H. Seites CDR, CEC, USN, RET was born on the shores of Lake Michigan in Muskegon, Michigan, at Mercy Hospital, with his twin brother, Tom, on March 10, 1929, to Anna Meyer and Alvin E. Seites. It was the eve of the Great Depression and Herbert Hoover was the U.S. President. John grew up in Muskegon, attending elementary school at Nims School. He graduated from Muskegon High School, Class of 1947. He wanted to be an engineer, so he first studied at Muskegon Jr. College and received his associates degree. He was then accepted at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering, Class of 1952.

John married Betty Ann Johnson on February 2, 1952, prior to attending Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island. John and Betty Seites embarked on the journey of a lifetime with the U.S. Navy, Civil Engineer Corps, beginning in Port Hueneme, Monterey, California. Five children joined them along the way, each born at a different duty station, Joan in Norfolk, VIrginia, Pamela in Newfoundland, Canada, William in New Orleans, Louisiana, John in Newport, Rhode Island, and Patricia in Great Lakes, Illinois. John served as XO with MCB-8 in Davisville, Rhode Island. The mobile construction battalion was sent for combat training in Camp Lejeune, 1961, prior to deployment in Guantanamo Bay, 1961-62. The Seabees spent six months summerIng in Antarctica as part of Operation Deep Freeze in 1962-63. CDR Seites was called to duty at the Military Assistance Command Vietnam in Saigon (now Ho Chi Min City), 1969-70. He returned from Vietnam, via military transport to San Francisco, and then after quarantine, he traveled by commercial airline to T.F. Green Airport, Warwick, Rhode Island, to his family (it’s true, there was no fanfare when Vietnam Vets returned). John’s final two duty stations were Norfolk, VIrginia, where the journey began, and then, finally, Davisville, Rhode Island, for his second tour of Antarctica. On the Ice, John managed the assembling and dismantling of a nuclear power reactor, and the assembly of a geodesic dome.

John was awarded the Joint Service Commendation Medal; National Defense Service Medal (2 awards); Antarctic Service Medal; Navy Expeditionary Medal; Vietnam Service Medal w/bronze star; Republic of Vietnam Campaign Ribbon w/Device; Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation (Gallantry Cross Medal Color w/Palm); and the Bronze Star. He was a member of the Military Order of Foreign Wars, Rhode Island Commandery; Old Antarctic Explorers Association; and Order of the Silver Rose, a Silver Rose, honored for chemical injuries from Agent Orange.

Upon retirement from the Navy, John and Betty settled in North Kingstown, Rhode Island. John did not end his engineering career yet. He was Director of the Providence Water Supply Board, Providence, Rhode Island; Director of Public Works, City of Cambridge, Massachsetts; returned to graduate school at the URI College of Engineering, Kingston, Rhode Island, after previously earning an MBA from Roosevelt University, Chicago, Illinois; Rhode Island Solid Waste Management Corporation; Director of Public Works, City of Peabody, Massachusetts; and, Commissioner on the South Essex Sewerage Commision, Massachusetts.

John gave his life for others, his family and his country. He is survived by five children, Joan Seites (Edgar Rundlett) and children, E. Peter, Victoria, Dr. William, and Zachary Seites-Rundlett, and step-children, Geoffrey, Gregory, and Sean Rundlett; Pamela Seites (Peter Lafreniere) and son, Dr. Philip Lafreniere; William John Seites, and daughter, Elizabeth Rose Seites; John Richard Seites (Kathleen Roukas); and Patricia Seites Andrews. Esq. and son, John Patrick Millerick II.

When John’s wife, Betty, died from colon cancer in 1999, John was given his time to be alone stateside with their children, for the last 24 years. Not only did he look after his children and grandchildren, but continued to care for his siblings, nieces and nephews, with frequent communication and visits.

In addition to his children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews, John is survived by his cousins Edith Dahler-Meyer of Biel, Switzerland, Christian Meyer of Geneva, Switzerland, and PeterMeier of Paris, France. John is predeceased by his wife, Betty Ann (Johnson) Seites, his grandfather, Henry Franklin Seites (civil war veteran), his parents, Anna (Meyer) Seites and Alvin Edward Seites, his twin brother Alvin Thomas Seites (WW II veteran), brother and sister twins Paul Henry Seites (Korean War veteran) and Pauline Seites Hall, sister Mary Carmel Parrish, and brothers Joe M. Seites, and George Douglas Seites (WW II veteran).

If you wish to contribute to a memorial in John’s name, consider The Seabee Museum and Memorial Park, Chapel in the Pines refurbishment project, original project of MCB-8 in 1961, 21 Iafrate Way, North Kingstown, RI 02852. https://seabeesmuseum.com/donations/donation-form/

U.S. Navy Seabee Prayer

Lord, stand behind the men who build, and give them courage, strength and skill. O grant them the peace of heart and mind, and comfort loved ones left behind. Lord, hear our prayer for all Seabees, where’re they be on land or sea.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.neptunesociety.com/location/las-vegas-cremation for the Seites family.