John A. Church Jr.

John Church was elected in 1921. His father [John A. Church], two uncles [Francis P. Church and William Conant Church], his father-in-law [John P. Peters], and an uncle-in-law [William R. Peters] were all, at various times, Centurions.

Until the Second World War took him away from us to Washington, Church was at the Club almost daily. He was deeply devoted to it, and, in his later years when government work became so pressing, he was greatly missed.

He was a consulting mining engineer and a widely known authority on minerals. Early in his career, he worked in Mexico and Montana in connection with copper mines. Later he was associated with the Nichols Copper Company of New York. In 1941, he collaborated with Centurion Robert Peele on a revision of the “Mining Engineers Handbook.”

When war came, he was appointed head of the copper and zinc branch of the War Production Board. In 1942, he was commissioned Major in the Army and acted as liaison officer between the Army and the WPB. In 1945, he went overseas on a mission to investigate German mineral resources. He left the army in 1946 with the rank of Colonel, and joined the Economic Cooperation Administration and the Defense Materials Procurement Agency.

During his years in New York when he was able to be so often at the Century, he always seemed to enjoy life to the full. He was a most companionable person with whom one could talk about almost anything and find his contribution interesting and valuable. Perhaps his greatest attachment outside his profession was to music, of which he knew much. He had the rare and wonderful quality of being able to hold peaceful discussions with those who disagreed with him, and, however different one’s views might be, it was always instructive to talk to Jack Church.

He was tolerant, kind, and generous, greatly loved by his family, and respected and admired even by those who knew him only slightly.

George W. Martin
1953 Century Association Yearbook