John “Jack” F. Wiegers, beloved educator, physicist, and lifelong advocate for science education, passed away on October 19, 2025. Jack’s career spanned nearly 70 years, leaving a profound impact on generations of students and teachers in St. Louis and beyond.
Jack graduated from St. Louis University High School in 1950, where he was an honor student, golf team member, and president of the Science Club. He went on to earn undergraduate and graduate degrees in Philosophy from St. Louis University, later receiving a fellowship from Washington University to earn a master’s degree in physics.
Jack began his teaching career at Rockhurst High School and College in Kansas City, then returned to St. Louis to teach physics at University City High School starting in 1971. He became Science Department Chair in 1983 and was recognized for his dedication to hands-on, inquiry-based science learning. In 1976, Jack received a Fulbright Scholarship to study and teach physics in England.
Recognizing the need to improve science education for students entering high school, Jack was instrumental in developing the Science Outreach program in the 1980s, securing $3 million in funding from the National Science Foundation. This initiative, with support from Washington University, focused on enhancing science education at the elementary level and led to the formation of the Institute for School Partnership (ISP) at Washington University, which now supports over 5,000 teachers.
Jack’s leadership and vision earned him numerous accolades, including the University City Superintendent’s Choice Award (1994–1995) and the first Gene Fuchs Memorial Lifetime Accomplishment Award from the St. Louis Area Physics Teachers in 2015. He also founded the St. Louis Area Physics Teachers (SLAPT) in 1985 to promote collaboration and professional development among science educators.
Jack is remembered as a mentor and leader, continuing to participate in monthly lunch meetings with retired University City teachers. He inspired, colleagues with his love of learning and relentless pursuit of understanding. Jack also enjoyed walks in the Missouri Botanical Gardens, golfing, handball with his wife, restoring the family home on Ann Ave. in St. Louis, and traveling.
His legacy lives on through the ISP and the countless students, educators, family, and friends whose lives he touched.
Jack was predeceased by his wife, Anne (Kelly) Chilson and by his sister Joan Wiegers Lingner. He is survived by his sister and brother-in-law (Jean and Anton Jacobs), by nephews and nieces (Jennifer Lingner, Gerard “Gerry” Lingner III, Cynthia Fletcher, Paul Roth, Charity Holliday, Daniel Roth, Elizabeth “Libby” Stoddard), by very dear friends (Robert Singer, LaDonna Haley, Victoria May, Frank Duke, and Lammert “Bert” Otten, S.J., Patrick Gibbons), great nieces and nephews, many cousins, friends, colleagues, and former students who cherish his memory and contributions to science education.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution in the memory and honor of Jack Wiegers to the Institute for School Partnership. For those who wish to give electronically, they can use this link: https://wustl.advancementform.com/campaign/gifts-wustl-edu/give?0_d_tr1=61&0_d_tr2=258
Checks can be made out to the Institute for School Partnership (ISP), marked J. Wiegers memorial and mailed to: MSC 1082-414-2555, Washington University, 1 Brookings Drive, St. Louis, MO 63130-9989.