John S. Hilson ’47

HOPPER HILSON DIED at his home in New York City May 26, 1991, after a courageous struggle with cancer

He attended Collegiate School in New York and Deerfield Academy, graduating in 1943. He then joined the Army, serving in the Burma jungle campaign with Merrill's Marauders. His letters home were widely circulated among his friends and were treasured for his description of the humorous side of jungle warfare. Having been accepted in 1943, he entered Princeton in 1946 following his release from military service.

Hop was a member of Cottage Club and was well known on campus. His love for people led to his developing an exceptional number of close friends, His interest in his friends and their welfare was unique and continued to the end of his life.

Hop joined the firm of Wertheim & Co. after his graduation in 1950, became a general partner in 1957, and was vice chairman from 1971 to 1986, when the firm merged with Schroeders, the British merchant bank. Since that time he was a managing director of Wertheim, Schroeder & Co.

Hop had a lifelong interest in sports of all kinds and was a partner of a syndicate headed by Bill Veeck, which at one time owned the St. Louis Browns and the Chicago White Sox. He was a former trustee of both Collegiate and Deerfield and was a trustee of the Guggenheim Museum and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, as well as the American Cancer Society'

To his wife, Gail; his mother, Mildred; his daughter Melissa Parker; and his sons William and Dwight; the Class extends its deepest sympathy.

The Class of 1947