John F. Andrews ’65

John, a renowned scholar devoted to deepening public appreciation of Shakespeare, died of a rare blood cancer May 4, 2025, surrounded by family at his home in Santa Fe, N.M.

Arriving at Princeton from Carlsbad, N.M., John studied architecture before a professor led him to major in English. After studying teaching at Harvard — where he met Vicky Anderson, with whom he had Eric ’93 and Lisa ’95 before amicably divorcing — he earned a Ph.D. at Vanderbilt, specializing in Shakespeare.

John spent a decade as director of academic programs at the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C., before editing two acclaimed annotated editions that revealed lost double meanings and playful wordplay in Shakespeare’s works. He later founded The Shakespeare Guild and established the Sir John Gielgud Award, which honored luminaries including Dame Judi Dench, Sir Ian McKellen, and Sir Patrick Stewart.

In 1994, John married artist Jan Denton. They relocated to Santa Fe, where they hosted mini-reunions and John highlighted the relevance of the Bard in contemporary politics and society through his long-running “Speaking of Shakespeare” series and prolific writings. He was named an honorary officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in 2000 and, in 2022, oversaw the unveiling of a memorial plaque to Gielgud in Westminster Abbey’s Poets’ Corner.

John’s family has received an outpouring of warm remembrances, many celebrating his wit, humility, and graciousness.