John died of a brain tumor April 23, 2012.
A native of Urbana, Ill., John was active in track, cross country, and the glee club at Urbana High School. At Princeton he sang in the Glee Club and majored in economics.
John’s interest in economics, policy, and analysis led him to complete a master’s degree in computer science at Rutgers in 1977. He spent his entire career at Mathematica Policy Research, a nonpartisan public-policy research firm, providing policy research to the federal government, finally as senior vice president for information technology and director of information services. John developed complex information-management systems for many projects, including the Teenage Parent Demonstration, Early Head Start Evaluation, and WIC Medicaid.
Although he participated in marathons and triathalons, his great interest was adventure travel with family and especially with his older daughter, Jessica. He and Jessica explored Patagonia and in 2003 trekked to the base camp on Mount Everest. Even as his health was failing, he took his family on an Alaskan cruise last summer.
His sense of adventure was balanced by his wry sense of humor and quick smile.
To his wife, Mary, and his daughters, Jessica and Elizabeth, the class sends its sympathy.