John A. Howard ’43

John died Aug. 6, 2015.

He prepared for Princeton at North Shore (Ill.) Country Day School, where he was president of the student government. At Princeton, John was manager of Triangle Club and the choir. His major was English.

John left Princeton at the end of junior year to join the Army, where he had an outstanding career with the 745th Tank Battalion and was awarded a battlefield commission, two Purple Hearts, and two Silver Stars. He finished his college education at Northwestern, earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees as well as a Ph.D. At our 10th reunion, John was awarded our annual Achievement Award.

John was president of Palos Verdes College from 1951 to 1954. Later, he served on President Eisenhower’s committee on government contracts and became president of Rockford College, holding that position for 17 years. In 1976, John founded the Rockford Institute, a nonprofit study center that focuses on the functions, purposes, and independence of all major institutions of society. He served as its first president from 1976 to 1986 and served as senior fellow of the Howard Center for Family, Religion, and Society.

John’s survivors include his wife, Janette; daughters Marie Schroeder, Martha Manning, and Katie Drerup; and son Steve. Nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren also survive him.