John B. Churchill of Wayland, formerly of Weston, passed away at the age of 86 on November 11, 2018 at Newton Wellesley Hospital after suffering a severe stroke at home.
He was born on June 25,1932 in Canandaigua, NY. After graduating from Monroe High School in Rochester, NY in 1951, he joined the Navy. In later years he enjoyed relaying tales of his adventures in the Nation’s service, including the 1953 passage through the Panama Canal and journey to the Galapagos Islands on the USS Currituck. After completing active duty, he enrolled at Syracuse University and received a B. A. in Psychology in 1959. Many fond memories he shared of his undergraduate years took place at the ‘Deke House’ where he was the President of the Delta Kappa Epsilon chapter in his senior year.
John applied his boundless energy to many pursuits throughout his life. After college, he worked in sales and marketing for many years, a field which enabled him to travel often. He was reliably an early adopter of the latest technology, and his keen mind was always working to devise a clever solution to any challenge. In 1966, he patented a handheld portable device for recording travel expenses, US3280730. His travel also enabled him to enjoy the musical venues of many cities across the US. He was a naturally talented musician, who could play a song on the piano after merely hearing it.
John had a strong avocation in woodworking. In the 1960’s, he built a stunning home overlooking the rolling hills in Naples, NY. In later years, he kept up his love of working with wood by offering furniture repair and restoration services for the Wellesley Public Library and other local customers. It brought him joy to restore older chairs and tables to their original beauty and functionality. John loved nature, especially trees. When he walked through his many acres of woods in Naples, NY, he could identify every plant and tree. In his later years living in Wayland, MA, he spearheaded a campaign to remove the kudzu vines he saw choking out the local forests.
John possessed a buoyant charm and tremendous sense of humor that earned him many treasured friends. John was devoted to his beloved wife of 28 years, Christine Snow Churchill of Wayland, MA. Also bereaved family members include step-daughters and sons-in-law Jennifer Foley and Robert Hanson of Westwood MA and Jill Foley and Tom Kornack of Plainsboro NJ. He was a kind and loving grandpa to their children William, Isabelle, Wallace and Eli. He will be sorely missed.
A memorial service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent in John’s name to the Sudbury Valley Trustees, 18 Wolbach Road, Sudbury, MA 01776.