John E. McGovern III ’91

John died suddenly July 13, 2018, of a suspected heart condition at home in Lake Forest, Ill.

A Chicago native, John graduated from Deerfield. At Princeton he majored in history and was a member of SAE and Ivy. Johnny Mac, as he was affectionately called by his friends, had a strong interest in politics, architecture, and art history. He was a great conversationalist and enjoyed a lively debate and a good card game. He was an unabashed preppy and always better dressed than everyone else.

After Princeton, he worked in various capacities for Illinois Republicans, both in Washington, D.C., and at home in Chicago. He earned a law degree from Northwestern and after his work in politics, he worked in consulting, advising clients in the health-care industry. More recently he served as a principal at a Chicago private-equity firm, managing strategic initiatives.

John was deeply involved in the leadership of many civic and charitable organizations in Chicago, serving on the boards of both the Boys and Girls Clubs of Chicago and the Art Institute.

John is survived by his wife, Wentworth, whom he married in 2011; their sons Caldwell and Watson; his mother, Karen; and his sister, Courtney. His father, Jack McGovern ’53, predeceased him.

As one of the many newspaper articles in the Chicago papers described him after his unexpected passing, “Johnny was very gentle and refined and respectful, intellectual, and poised.” Our class sends its deepest sympathies to his family.