originally posted on 2/3/2023
Photo: Roy Brashears. View full-sized image.
John Caruthers’ official obituary spoke of living life to the fullest with overflowing joy. When he passed on December 23 at the age of 86, remembrances in the public light mentioned his love of music, his career as an elementary school teacher and his participation in his church choir. Although a man of many talents, the obituary failed to mention his passion for amusement parks and roller coasters. ACEers who knew him knew that John was one of a kind.
When I joined ACE in 1989, I quickly learned his name and of his zealous laugh. His insatiable laughter while riding roller coasters made him a media darling for television crews, and in the early years of ACE being a unique “people story,” John enjoyed his moments of giddy fame. He was a natural.
Knowing John had been around since the beginning of ACE, I could only be envious of the magical rides he had experienced that are no longer here for us.
John’s ACE membership was No. 11. Although I missed those very early years, I knew who he was from all the many kind words that people had to say about him. I had the opportunity to meet him in the years following, but he had already become a legend to me by that time. Even without knowing him, I knew what kind of person he was from his reputation. What a wonderful contribution he made to our history, particularly in those formative years. I will be grateful for him.
— Tim Baldwin, ACE News Editor
ACEer B. Derek Shaw poses with John Caruthers at Waldameer.
Photo: Richard Munch. View full-sized image.
The following are reflections from longtime members who knew John Caruthers well:
We were in a shopping mall and passed a store selling pianos. I casually mentioned to John that I had never seen him play the piano. He immediately strode into the store, sat himself at a piano and with gusto unabashedly began singing while playing the piano for about two minutes. At the end, even the salesman had a huge smile on his face, and we gave John well-deserved applause.
I was riding the Lincoln Park Comet in 1987 with W. Jim Lewis (who grew up in Long Beach) and with John Caruthers. They were exchanging experiences on the Cyclone Racer. John rode Cyclone Racer so much in one day that he sprained his neck, and his doctor made him wear one of those horse collar neck supports. Jim always told me that if he took multiple rides on Cyclone Racer, he would always ride in the less-severe back end of the train. So when John told me his horse collar experience, I mentioned to him that he must have been riding in the front seat. He confirmed it.
— Mike Chew
I first met John at Kennywood for Coaster Con III in 1980. He was one of the first people in ACE with whom I became very friendly.
As a roller coaster fanatic and aficionado, he was without peer, in my opinion. I was pleased to see him at almost every event I attended during those early years, and his fantastic screams while riding were unforgettable and particularly wonderful to hear because they let me know, sometimes before I even entered the park, that he was there! One of the things I most admired about John was that despite being a serious, thoughtful and firmly disciplined kind of person, he nevertheless knew how to enjoy life, the moment and how to have fun. This was a lesson I badly needed and which he taught me well by his superb example and by his kindness and earnest friendship.
— Al Wolsky
When I first joined ACE, there were two people that really made me feel welcome to be a part of the organization, Clarence Hintze and John Caruthers. I first met John at the 1980 Kennywood convention. He saw me going around by myself and he joined me. He was so enthusiastic and friendly, telling me about Kennywood and Rocky Point. A few weeks after the convention, I got a package from him containing photocopies from his photo collection. It was so cool. I can still hear him whooping it up on Thunderbolt.
— Howard Gillooly
John Caruthers is joined by honorary member Richard Munch and coaster designer Mike Boodley.
Photo: Richard Munch collection. View full-sized image.
We were shocked with his passing. It was a rough few days thinking about how important this man was in my life and to the formation of ACE. His kindness and generosity are forever ingrained in my mind. I doubt my interest in this very special hobby would have been as strong as it was if it hadn't been for John. He shared everything and was always available to discuss history, travel, politics and anything else that came to mind. With the recent losses of Paul Ruben, Charlie Jacques and Derek Gee, a great deal of knowledge has been lost.
— Richard Munch
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