John Van Tol ’48

John (also called “Van”) was with us only from November 1945 to June 1947. He was a member of Prospect and active in NROTC, and he graduated with a degree in naval science (political science). He died July 14, 2010.

John was a career naval officer from 1944 to 1969. He rose to the rank of commander. His career took him to five continents and enabled him to meet foreign dignitaries, including Juan and Eva Perón in Argentina and Prince Philip aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia. In October 1962, as commanding officer of the U.S.S. Rhodes, John observed and tracked Russian merchant vessels removing missiles from Havana during the Cuban missile crisis.

After his retirement, John and his wife, Alice, who predeceased him in July 2000, were very active in civic and volunteer organizations in Shepherdstown, W.Va., and Stowe, Vt.

He is survived by his daughters, Joan and Ruth, and sons John and Peter. As a loyal son of Old Nassau, John was wont to say, “I would love to repeat my years at Princeton.”