John J. Smith ’55

Jack died March 17, 2020, at Capital Health of Hopewell. He was 86, a resident of Pennington, N.J., and a noted supporter of Princeton fencing teams and former team captain.

Jack was born in Hoboken, N.J., and graduated from William Dickinson High School in Jersey City. At Princeton he joined Elm Club, majored in economics, and in senior year roomed with Sam Stewart and Bob Amick. He was a member of the fencing team all four years.

He later joined with Paul Levy ’58 to form the Friends of Princeton Fencing, which he served as treasurer for many years. An annual award for Princeton women’s fencing is sponsored by Jack.

Following graduation with honors and active duty with the Army, Jack embarked on a career in industrial accounting throughout the United States, in Texas, New York, California, and finally Princeton. He married his college sweetheart, Jane Miller, with whom he had two children and who died of breast cancer in 1998. Jack subsequently married Joyce Hunt.

He is survived by Joyce, son Charles, daughter Barbara, grandchildren Laura Beth Kenny and Steven Gladney, stepson Barry Ongradi, stepdaughter Mary Beth Canulli, and five step-grandchildren.