Necrology

John Harry Seymour '50

Sep. 15, 1928-Oct. 1, 2022

John Harry Seymour ’50 died on Oct. 1, 2022, in Paramus, N.J. Born in Auburn, N.Y., on Sept. 15, 1928, he came to Hamilton as a valedictorian from Auburn High School. On the Hill, he joined Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity and majored in Greek and Latin. During his freshman and sophomore years, he sang in the College Choir. In his final two years he chose to bear down on his studies and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa as a senior.

Professor of Greek Donald Blythe Durham took note of John’s aptitude in mathematics and suggested he consider a career as an actuary. Acting on that advice, John joined the Home Life Insurance Co. in New York City as an actuarial assistant. He married Elaine Erregger on Sept. 2, 1950, in Syracuse. In 1952, John was inducted into the Army and, after basic training, was assigned to the Counter Intelligence Corps. He served in Japan during the second year of his tour of duty and was honorably discharged with the rank of corporal in September 1954. Returning to New York City and Home Life Insurance, John resumed what would become a 41-year career as an actuary for the company. Ultimately, he would become director of corporate systems. 

After living in New York City for five years, he moved to Hawthorne, N.J., in 1959. His first marriage had ended, and John married Diane J. Harris on Sept. 9, 1967, in the Chapel at Hamilton. They had two daughters. In 1970, the Seymour family relocated to Ridgewood, N.J., which was John’s home for the rest of his life. 

In the course of his career, he became an associate of the Society of Actuaries and a member of the American Academy of Actuaries. Retiring in 1992, John continued to work as a consultant to the company now known as Phoenix Home Life. He was also a member of the American Civil Liberties Union and, reflecting his interest in the outdoors, joined the Adirondack Mountain Club and the Sierra Club. 

Just as he had sung in the choir on the Hill, he also sang in the choir at the Unitarian Society of Ridgewood as well as in the Orpheus Club’s Men’s Chorus and the Ars Musica Chorale in Ridgewood. He played the piano and the organ from childhood and maintained the practice throughout his life for the benefit of his family, which eventually included five grandchildren. On a couple of occasions, he performed for “Dad’s Night,” a talent show and fundraiser to benefit Ridgewood’s Somerville Elementary School when his daughters were students there. In addition to enjoying plays, concerts, and tennis, John took up ballroom dancing for Diane, who had long had an interest in it.

In his 40th reunion yearbook, he said Hamilton “provided a very broad and solid academic foundation and many outstanding professors — the ones most outstanding were [Donald Blythe] Durham, [Thomas McNaughton] Johnston, and [Brewster Huntington] Gere.”

John H. Seymour is survived by his wife, two daughters, and five grandchildren.

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