John Wayne Rimmer Sr., who everyone knew simply as John or Coach John in his community, passed away peacefully at home on February 17, 2026, at the age of 84.
He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Eileen, and their five children: John Jr. and his wife Kim, Thomas and Sharon, Scott and Elizabeth, Jill, and Lisa, who is married to Ronald Horwitz.
John leaves behind his eight grandchildren: Jessica with Devin Frederick, Joshua, John III with Jess, Jeremy with Sherry, Nicole with Mike Lalumera, Sean with Krystal, Mallory, and Collin, and ten great-grandchildren.
His brother, Byron, and sister-in-law Dorothy Rimmer also survive him.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Jean Wrigley Rimmer and John Anthony Rimmer.
Born on October 7, 1941, right in Doylestown, John stood out in football and baseball in high school at Central Bucks, class of 1959.
He earned honorable mention in the Bux-Mont League, got the Lions Club award for outstanding football, picked up scholastic awards from Temple University and Virginia Tech, made first team all-Bux-Mont in baseball, first team all-area in the Intelligencer for baseball, and won outstanding baseball player honors from the Lions Club and Gardenville Dairy.
After high school, he went to St. Joseph’s University to study chemistry.
John’s working life started in 1960 at Rohm & Haas Company in Spring House, in their specialty coatings division.
Over the years, he made real contributions with new ideas in monomers and polymers, which led to several patents in his name.
In 1981, the company gave him the Otto Haas Award for his outstanding work in research and development in chemistry. He stayed there for 42 years until retiring in 2002.
Outside of work, John poured a lot into youth sports in his area. He coached and helped out with peewee, middle school, and high school teams in football, baseball, and wrestling. It began with the Lenape Valley Athletic Association.
Then, after the family moved, he got involved with the Silver Creek Athletic Association for football. He kept supporting his own kids by keeping score, tracking stats, and serving on the board for Palisades Youth Wrestling.
Later, he helped at the middle and high school levels with football and wrestling, including scouting. He co-founded and coached the Palisades Youth Football Program.
Starting in 2005, he was head coach for the Palisades Middle School football team and guided them through five winning seasons in a row.
That success helped build stronger teams at the high school, leading to Colonial League and District 11 championships. He also headed up the Palisades Jr. High wrestling team during those years.
In 2013, Central Bucks inducted him into their Hall of Fame for both football and baseball. The Pennsylvania House of Representatives and the Senate sent citations recognizing that honor.
A memorial service gathering for family and friends is planned for April 11, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Springtown Fire Hall, located at 3010 PA-212 in Hellertown, Pennsylvania 18055.
During this challenging time, we pray for John’s wife, kids, friends, and extended family.
Rest In Heavenly Peace, John Wayne Rimmer Sr!
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