He was born in New York City and entered Princeton at the age of 16 from the Millbrook School. The following year he joined the V-12 program and served as a lieutenant junior grade in the Mediterranean and Caribbean. He graduated in 1948 as a chemistry major.
Following graduation, John worked for 23 years for Interchemical Corp. and Tenneco, but in 1971 decided to pursue his avocation, forestry. He earned a master’s degree from Rutgers and a Ph.D. in forest science from Oregon State University. He then taught at Rutgers, retiring as an associate professor of forestry in 2001.
John was active in professional and public affairs. He was a gardener, fly-fisherman, and hunter. For him the outdoors represented the greatest mystery, and he took solace from it all his life. In October, the Princeton Borough Shade Tree Commission planted his favorite, a dawn redwood, in his honor.
He was predeceased by his wife of 55 years, Eleanor Will Kuser. He is survived by his daughters, Olivia, Caryl, and Eleanor. His Princeton relatives included his father and two uncles.