John Philip Harding II ’53

John, one of our most engaging members, died Aug. 21, 2003 at his Wonder Lake, Ill., home after a period of declining health. He had undergone unsuccessful knee surgery several years ago, and Canterbury School classmate and college roommate Peter Carney said John fell early this year, broke his hip, and serious complications occurred.

At Princeton John was a member of Cap and Gown and the club's historian. Musically gifted, he was an officer of and sang in the glee clubs and octet. As president of the Chicago Club, he made it one of the most active regional organizations.

By his own admission he could win most three-cushion billiard matches. Fittingly his thesis topic was "A History of French Cuisine," and after 21 months as a lieutenant in the field artillery, he returned to his native Chicago and joined the family business, Harding Restaurants. When the restaurants were sold, John became counselor for Chicago's firefighters and their families.

Carney, Ed Duffy, Jack McGovern, Ned Jannotta, Jim Otis, and Buzz Taylor were pallbearers. John leaves his wife, Jacqueline; sons John F. III, Martin J., Stephen J. Bolger, and Paul M. Bolger; daughter Christina Ann; and seven grandchildren. Like them, we mourn his death.

The Class of 1953