John C. Davis ’49

John died peacefully July 21, 2016, in his home at the Plymouth Harbor Retirement Community, near Sarasota, Fla.

John grew up in Eau Claire, Wis., and graduated from Andover. After a stint in the Navy from 1943 to 1946, John joined us at Princeton, where his father was in the Class of 1907. John majored in mechanical engineering, played JV football, was a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and joined Key & Seal.

After Princeton, he joined the H.P. Smith Paper Co. in Chicago, later moving to its headquarters in Wisconsin. The company specialized in coated substrates, including paper. John was the executive vice president and general manager, and subsequently was named president of the company. In 1962 the company merged with Phillips Petroleum.

John retired in 1980, having worked for the one company for his entire career. He and Alice eventually moved to Sarasota, Fla., where they enjoyed small-boat sailing.

At the time of his death he was survived by his wife, Alice; three daughters, Fran, Ann, and Julie; and eight grandchildren. His oldest daughter, Kate, predeceased him.