John Strong Bevan ’63

John died April 12, 2022, of congestive heart failure in an assisted-living home near Gladwyne, Pa., where he was born and lived most of his life. He came to us from the Haverford School, where he wrestled, played football and golf, and was a member of the Dramatic Club and the Debating Society.

At Princeton, John majored in psychology and wrote his senior thesis on “Discrimination as a Function of Age.” He was manager of the freshman wrestling team, worked on the advertising staff of The Tiger, and was a member of the Pre-Law Society. He joined ROTC and was a member of the Drill Team and Artillery Club for three years. A member of Cannon Club, he roomed with Charlie Hodge and “Friar” Green during senior year.

After graduation John earned a law degree from Temple University Law School, then served as captain in the Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps. He practiced law for 21 years at Duane Morris in Philadelphia, where he was a partner. He retired in 1992 and became active in several social-justice issues, including the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Native American Rights Fund, where he served on the national support committee.

“He was very much a champion of the underdog,” said his son Mark, who lives in Portland, Ore. “He felt very strongly about the injustices done to Native Americans.”

John is survived by his former wife, Mary Bevan; sons Mark, Michael, and J. Thomas; and six grandchildren.