Jack Stokes

November 27, 1928 - October 6, 2021

John “Jack” Stokes was born on November 27, 1928, and died peacefully on October 6, 2021. He was the son of John Stokes, Sr. and Elizabeth Rogers Stokes and was raised together with his sister, Mary in the Kensington Section of Philadelphia. It is there that he honed his skills in athletics. He played Pop Warner Football, where he was propelled into becoming an avid Eagles fan. He enjoyed Eagles season tickets for fifty years. But his real talent was in boxing. On a bet from a high school friend, he entered a bout at Lighthouse Boy’s Club, which he won in the first round. This eventually led to him winning the Diamond Belt Championship sponsored by the Philadelphia Inquirer. Jack attended Stetson Junior High and Northeast Public High, after which he was drafted in the Army where he was a competitive boxer. Following his discharge from the service, he entered Penn State where he continued to box on what became Penn State’s final varsity team. His picture hangs in the lobby of Rec Hall to this day. In 1952, he fell in love with the beautiful, Pegi Carbaugh in Atlantic City. They eloped in 1954 and had their daughter, Bobbi in 1955. Tragically, he lost his wife, Pegi in 1983. Jack graduated from Penn State in 1956 with a business degree, but his dream was always to own a bar. His dream came true in 1965 when he bought the bar at Front and Allegheny, which he named Jack Stokes’ Old Ale House. Jack had the perfect personality for the bar business because of his interest in sports, awesome sense of humor, and his unconditional love of people. In the 1980’s he sold his bar at Front and Allegheny and bought a bar on Bustleton Avenue in Northeast Philadelphia and again named it Jack Stokes’ Ale House. It is here where he met his longtime companion, Joyce Becker, on Super Bowl Sunday in 1990. Jack and Joyce enjoyed spending time in Ft. Lauderdale, FL and Cape May, NJ. The Jersey Shore was the place where they developed a wonderful social life that included getting together with friends in Wildwood and listening to lots of live music. Everybody wanted to be in Jack’s company, as he was known to light up a room. He was larger than life, generous to a fault, and a true gentleman. He will be missed forever by everyone who had the privilege of knowing him. Jack is survived by his daughter, Bobbi Stokes and her husband, Dr. Scott Maslow, Cape May; granddaughter, Morgan Stokes Maslow, Boston, MA; and longtime companion, Joyce Becker, Cape May, NJ. He was predeceased by his wife, Pegi and his sister, Mary. Relatives and friends will be received on Wednesday (Oct. 13th) from 11:30am - 12:30pm in the Cape May Presbyterian Church, 500 Hughes St., Cape May where his memorial ceremony will follow and begin at 12:30pm. Donations in his memory can be made to the Alzheimer’s Foundation or St. Jude’s Children Hospital.