John C. Shipley ’37

John Shipley of Voorhees, N.J., died peacefully Jan. 5, 2014.

John came to us from Central High School in Philadelphia. When his mother fell ill, he left to care for her, then enrolled at the University of Pennsylvania and graduated with its class of 1937. During World War II he served at the Air Materiel Command Headquarters.

He passed the New Jersey bar exam in 1949 and later settled at Philadelphia’s First Pennsylvania Bank in 1963, where he worked until his retirement in 1981.

John was deeply involved in community affairs. He was an elder of the Presbyterian Church, tutored Camden children in business, and worked to preserve Batsto, a historic Pinelands village in New Jersey. He coached Cherry Hill East High School’s mock-trial teams to national success.

Through his later years John traveled often, played tennis and bridge, and championed New Jersey’s Pinelands and seashore. He was a member of the Sons of the American Revolution, the Sons of Union Veterans, and the American Legion. John long supported Princeton and its athletics.

He is survived by his wife, Joanne; son John Jr. ’91; daughter Lauren; and granddaughter Sabrina (daughter of John and Amy Shipley ’91). The family welcomes donations to the Shipley Scholarship Fund at Princeton Theological Seminary.