John Hancock '44
John Hancock, 85, died Thursday, February 25, after a short illness at Norwalk Hospital. He was born March 5, 1924 in Providence, RI, the son of the late John Robbins and Gertrude Myette Hancock. John was predeceased by his sister Ruth Hancock Hall of Wellesley Hills, MA.
A resident of Wilton for 43 years, he had been an active member of The Wolfpit Running Club and the New Canaan YMCA. Running was his passion and he was often seen running the hills of Wilton as well as many marathons in New York, Boston, Newport and Ridgefield. Professionally, Mr. Hancock was the Executive Vice President of Bernuth Lembcke, a shipping company in NYC prior to his retirement. John graduated from the Maine Maritime Academy in 1944. As Lieutenant J.G. in the Merchant Marine, he served in both the Atlantic and Pacific theaters during WWII. After the war he attended The University of Rhode Island and Brown University. John loved the outdoors and the water. He spent the summers of his youth at Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire and later with his own family at Lake Martin in Alabama.
He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Jeane Ewing Hancock and their three children: John Hancock, Jr. and his wife Nina of Chicago, Il.; Jeff Ewing Hancock and his wife Jill of Columbia, MO; Jeane Hancock Favale and her husband Thomas of Wilton; four grandchildren: Jessica Lynn Hancock, Josh Ewing Hancock, Travis Michael Hancock, Chris Hancock Favale and many nieces and nephews.
Given his fondness for animals, donations may be made in John Hancock’s memory to PAWS, 504 Main Avenue, Norwalk, CT 06851 or www.pawsct.org.
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