John Welch Mills ’53

John died Oct. 22, 2020, in Evanston, Ill.

He was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and came to Princeton from University School in Shaker Heights. He majored in the School of Public and International Affairs and wrote his thesis on “The Taft-Hartley Act.” He was a member of Cannon Cub and president of the Pre-Law Society.

After graduation he served two years in the Army Artillery, stationed at Fort Devens in Massachusetts and in Germany. He graduated from Harvard Law School in 1958 and went to work for White and Case on Wall Street and then as an assistant U.S. attorney in the Southern District of New York. In 1964 Jack moved to Cleveland to serve with Republic Steel, and then in 1972 to Chicago to become vice president and general counsel for Maremount Corp. and later for Tenneco Automotive in Lincolnshire, Ill.

He was deeply involved in the Stephen Ministry at Kenilworth Union Church, offering confidential one-to-one care for people in the community experiencing life difficulties. He also tutored third-grade students after school at the Howard Area Reading Program in Chicago for 20 years.

John is survived by his wife of 57 years, Louise Connell Mills; their three children; and seven grandchildren.