John West ’43

Johnny died Sept. 28, 2016.

He came to us from Choate School, where he was on the publications board and the track team.

At Princeton Johnny participated in intramural sports, majored in mechanical engineering, and was a member of Charter Club. Johnny came from a Princeton family, which includes his father, his brother, his son Jay ’67, and grandson Charles Sneath ’09.

After graduation Johnny spent three and a half years in the Navy as a lieutenant junior grade at the Havel Engineering Experiment Station in Annapolis, Md.

His civilian career included work as a research engineer for the Bakelite Division of Union Carbide, as chief engineer for Kenro Graphics, and at Morgan Development Laboratory. In 1953 he moved to the packaging design department of Johnson & Johnson in New Brunswick, N.J., where he remained until his retirement in 1986.

Johnny’s fascination with all things mechanical started at age 15 when he bought his first car, a 1925 Model T. This began a lifelong hobby of restoring antique cars.

Johnny is survived by sons Jay ’67 and Davenport; daughters Nancy Hannah and Betsy Sneath; 15 grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren. He will be remembered by all for his kindness, patience, and generosity.