A. John Accola Jr. ’44

Coke died Apr. 7, 1997, in Dorset, England, after a five-month bout with melanoma. Few of his friends knew he was fighting this dread disease; his demise came as a great shock.

Coke was born in Tokyo, grew up in Pelham Manor, N.Y., and prepared for Princeton at Exeter. He majored in chemical engineering and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. His club was Tower and his sport, swimming. After graduation he entered the Navy and skippered a minesweeper plying the Atlantic, taking time out to marry Marcy Mills, a longtime love. He returned to Princeton for his master's in ChE and worked for Merck before joining the family business, Gravymaster, in 1961 where he became responsible for sales and marketing.

Coke was actively involved in local and national church affairs, was a trustee for over 25 years of the Johnson C. Smith Theological Seminary in Atlanta, and worked closely with a sister presbytery in Kenya. Tennis and swimming were his athletic interests, but his dedication was to family, friends, and people in need. A regular at reunions and minireunions, he was elected secretary of the class at our 40th.

After their move to Osprey, Fla., seven years ago, Marcy developed dementia, and Coke became her full-time caregiver until it became necessary for her to be placed in a nursing home.

Our deep sympathy goes to Marcy, his daughter, Nancy, his son, Ric, and his granddaughter, Nina.

The Class of 1944