John M. Hill Jr. ’59

John was born July 1, 1937, in St. Paul, Minn. He died April 15, 2024, in Santa Cruz County, Calif.

John prepared for Princeton at Phillips Exeter Academy, and at Princeton he majored in psychology. He joined Colonial Club, roomed with Carl Kappes and Jerry Miller, and played freshman soccer and varsity hockey for three years.

After beginning his career at 3M and working for several years in New England and abroad, John ultimately settled in the Santa Cruz area, where he worked as a recognized leader in the material handling and supply chain industry. He was a pioneer in the implementation of automatic identification and data collection systems including bar coding and radio frequency identification, and warehouse and transportation management systems.

John was a former president of the Material Handling Institute (MHI), member of its board of governors, emeritus member of MHI’s advisory roundtable, and the recipient of numerous awards for contributions to the U.S. material handling industry.

He taught his daughters the art of soccer, and he went on to coach the game — leading his eldest daughter’s team to a division championship. For himself, golf became his ultimate obsession.

John is survived by his wife Barbara; his daughters, Jennifer and Sarah; his grandchildren Madison, Riley, Sawyer and Miles; and his great granddaughter Lily.