Posted on: Monday, January 7, 2002

Son of famous admiral commits suicide with wife

Associated Press

NEEDHAM, Mass. — Rear Adm. Chester W. Nimitz Jr., a decorated World War II submarine veteran and only son of Navy Fleet Adm. Chester W. Nimitz, died with his wife, Joan Labern Nimitz. He was 86 and she was 89.

The couple faced deteriorating health and chose to take their own lives a day after a New Year's Day celebration with their family, said their daughter, Betsy Van Dorn.

"This was not unexpected," she said. "They had lived their whole life together and wanted to die together."

The two married in 1938.

Nimitz followed his father to the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Md., and the Navy, before moving on to a career with high technology companies.

After graduating from Annapolis in 1936, he served for three years on the cruiser Indianapolis before taking command of two submarines and a submarine division, according to his family.

Nimitz retired in 1957 with the rank of captain and was promoted on the retired list because of his combat decorations, which included the Navy Cross and three Silver Stars.

He worked for four years at Texas Instruments before joining the Perkin-Elmer Corp., in Norwalk, Conn., in 1961 and rising to become chief executive officer. He retired in 1980.

The Nimitz's are survived by three daughters, five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Joan Nimitz also is survived by a sister, and Chester Nimitz by three sisters.