John L. Danforth

Obituary for John L. Danforth

Long-time Westwood resident John L. Danforth died peacefully on November 11, 2010. He was 93 years old.

Danforth was born in Buffalo, New York on December 16, 1917. He attended Nichols School, Phillips Exeter Academy, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He received his Master’s Degree from MIT in 1941. During World War II, he worked as a technical administrator at MIT’s Radiation Laboratory (RADAR). He received a Presidential Certificate of Merit for his work there.

In 1957 Danforth began work as chief engineer at the High Voltage Engineering Corporation, a Boston-based company that made multi-million volt Van de Graaff particle accelerators used in high-energy physics research. He worked for the company and its subsidiary until 1975. Then he worked as an independent consultant until he retired in 1987.

Danforth was loyal and active in the communities of Westwood and Squirrel Island, Maine where he spent his summers. In Westwood he served on the Finance Commission, the Housing Partnership, and other local committees. In the 1960’s he served as secretary of the Human Rights and Fair Housing Committee.

While a trustee of the Westwood Public Library Danforth raised $11,000 to commission two large murals for the Children’s Room of the Library. “I wasn’t a very good fund raiser,” he said modestly many years before his death. “I only got money from about ten people.”

“He was tireless,” said Library Director Tom Viti. “It seemed like a reach when he first described the idea, but the other trustees went along with it because of his enthusiasm. He really surprised us. He raised the money and got a nationally known artist, Virginia Precourt, to paint the murals. He was one guy with a vision.”

An active member of First Parish of Westwood United Church since 1954, Danforth contributed to the life of the church in many ways. He served on the religious education, mission, and outreach committees and on the diaconate. Danforth also served as church moderator and was the church’s first male clerk. His deep love of music received its fullest expression through his dedicated participation in the church choir.

Danforth served on the governing board of the Squirrel Island Village Corporation and as treasurer and president of the Squirrel Island Chapel.

All his life he was, as he put it, “an avid, but average tennis player.” He was active playing tennis, walking, and working around the house until well into his eighties.

One of Danforth’s great loves was travelling. As a young man, he bicycled through England with his brother Ted and travelled through Europe with his mother and sisters. In his sixties he continued to travel widely, going hiking in Romania and spending six months as an engineering consultant at the University of Mexico in Mexico City.

John L. Danforth is survived by his wife Judy Mandell Danforth, his sister Lucy Parker of Wayland, two sons Loring and his wife Margaret Rotundo of Lewiston, Maine and Stephen and his wife Janet Walradt of Belle Mead, New Jersey. He is also survived by four grandchildren: Nicholas, Ann, Christopher and Laura, by two great grandchildren, Harper and Afton, and by many nieces, nephews, and grand nieces and nephews.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend a memorial service at the First Parish of Westwood, United Church at 11:30 AM on Saturday April 2, 2011. An additional memorial service will be held in the Squirrel Island Chapel, Squirrel Island Maine on Saturday July 9, 2011 at 11:30AM.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the First Parish Memorial Fund, 340 Clapboardtree St., Westwood, MA 02090, to the Chapel, Squirrel Island, ME – c/o Mr. Allan Robertston, treasurer, P.O. Box 177, Newfields, NH 03856, or to the charity of your choice.

Arrangements by the Holden, Dunn and Lawler Funeral Home of Westwood.