William Kennedy Wakefield

William Kennedy Wakefield, of Princeton, died at home, surrounded by his family, on May 5. Bill is survived by Pam, his wife of 63 years, their children Wendy Davis, JB Wakefield, and Liza Peck, and Wendy’s husband, Steve Heaps. He leaves 13 grandchildren: Kylie, Dana, and Will Davis; Will, Tess, Gray, and Drew Wakefield; Griffin, Kirby, Merritt, and Sawyer Peck; and Owen and Emma Heaps; three grandsons-in-law Doug Shapiro, Jason Yanowitz, Kevin Halliday; and a great-grandchild, Adair Shapiro-Davis. He also leaves a sister Roxanne White and her husband David as well as many cherished nieces and nephews.

Bill was born on June 8, 1939 to Harold “Wake” Wakefield and Nancy Kennedy Wakefield in Montclair, NJ. A graduate of Montclair High School, he earned a degree in engineering from Cornell University. Bill started his business career with General Motors in Ohio, then moved on to Exxon and overseeing major projects worldwide, including an assignment with his family for three years in Exxon’s London office.

He continued his international work with FMC Corporation, leaving FMC as Director of Engineering and Construction. Bill completed his business career with Wakefield Consulting which he established in 1999 to provide training and management consulting to construction and engineering firms. In addition to industrial work, he managed a number of local projects, including the renovated Springdale Golf Club and the headquarters for Music Together.

Throughout his career, Bill served in leadership roles with industry associations such as The Business Roundtable Construction Committee and the Design-Build Institute of America. Bill’s partners in every endeavor respected his guidance and practical wisdom. He was also a reliable problem solver for family and friends, meeting challenges ranging from furniture assembly and overworked plumbing to managing the inevitable issues in timing and scope that are the hallmark of any building project.

As a Princeton resident, Bill engaged in a rich array of volunteer activities He was a member of the Site Plan Review Advisory Board and the Regional Planning Board of Princeton, as well as serving on the Boards of The Latin American Legal Defense and Education Fund, First Friends (which serves immigrant detainees at the Elizabeth Detention Center), The Paul Robeson House of Princeton, and the Trenton Children’s Chorus. Bill was also an active member of The Campaign to End the New Jim Crow, served as a mentor to at-risk youth for Corner House and the YMCA, and, most recently, assisted asylum seekers through Solidaridad.

Additionally, Bill was an Elder and Deacon of Nassau Presbyterian Church, where he was a leader in the church’s outreach efforts for social justice and, specifically, advocacy for immigration reform and immigrant rights. He chaired the Presbytery of New Brunswick’s task forces on Immigration and Mass Incarceration and led major renovations of Nassau Church. In 2016, Bill was awarded the “Bud” Vivian award by the Princeton Area Community Foundation in recognition of his advocacy and work on social justice issues. Bill was deeply loved and respected by the Nassau Church community. Their faith, care and support lightened his last months.

At heart, Bill was an adventurer who chose a career that allowed him to travel widely. He never said no to an exotic dish, sometimes to the dismay of his family, and took every opportunity to explore the sea under sail or while decked out in scuba gear or both. He was pleased that he shares his birthday with World Oceans Day. His intellectual, spiritual and physical strengths sustained his family through times of despair while his generous spirit buoyed the family’s joyous moments. In his final days, Bill was grateful for an ‘exit ramp’ which allowed him time for visits with family and dear friends. He loved hearing the hubbub of a large family downstairs while he rested upstairs with his wife Pam who was his cherished companion on every journey including his final battle with cancer.

A service is planned for Sunday, June 8, at 2 p.m. at the Princeton Theological Seminary Chapel with a reception to follow at Nassau Presbyterian Church.

To honor Bill’s memory, gifts may be directed to Mission and Outreach/Wakefield Memorial Fund at Nassau Presbyterian Church (nassauchurch.org) or sent to the church office at 61 Nassau Street, Princeton, NJ 08542. The fund will be used to ensure the equitable and compassionate treatment of immigrants.

Arrangements are under the direction of Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, Princeton.

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John D. Wallace (“Jack”)

John D. Wallace (“Jack”), 92, beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, uncle, and friend, died peacefully at home in Princeton on May 1, 2025, with his wife, Happy, and children, Chris and Margie by his side. He was predeceased by his parents Margaret Cook Wallace and John H. Wallace, his younger siblings Bill and Penny Wallace, and his son John who died from AIDS in 1990. In addition to his wife and children, Jack is survived by his son-in-law, Peter; six grandchildren: Chris Gibson (Katie Kwon-Gibson), Katie Gibson, Cordy Gibson, Coby Gibson, John Wallace, and Lila Wallace; and his great-granddaughter Lucie Kwon-Gibson.

Jack was born in Trenton on February 12, 1933. He grew up in Princeton, attended Princeton Country Day, and graduated from The Hotchkiss School in 1951 where he enjoyed drama, debate, and soccer. He attended Princeton in the Naval ROTC program, and, after graduating in 1955 with a degree in international and public affairs, served in the United States Navy, eventually becoming Admiral’s Aide to the Vice Admiral in command of the Atlantic amphibious fleet.

After the Navy, Jack started a financial career with Hanover Bank and then Morgan Stanley in New York. In the fall of 1958, he met Happy Goebel. They enjoyed their first date at the Princeton-Dartmouth football game at Palmer Stadium and were engaged just six weeks later and married at Fort Myer Chapel, Arlington, Virginia, on September 12, 1959.

Jack’s career in banking took root close to home in Trenton. After early years on Wall Street, he joined First Trenton National Bank, a predecessor of New Jersey National Bank and eventually Corestates. He started as an assistant cashier and ended his career as CEO. After guiding the bank during the early years of interstate banking, he retired in 1993 so that he could focus on his family, a little bit of tennis and golf, and favorite community institutions.

While Jack loved advising and lending to businesses to help them grow, he took special pride in the town of Princeton and its vibrancy. Like his father who was mayor, Jack served on the Princeton Township Committee and as mayor, in 1969–1970, and again in 1972. In politics, his inspirations included George Washington — “who could not tell a lie” — and Abraham Lincoln with whom he shared the February 12 birthdate.

Many local nonprofit and educational organizations benefited from Jack’s leadership including McCarter Theatre, the Princeton Area Community Foundation, Princeton Day School (PDS), Princeton Senior Resource Center, Trinity Counseling, the University Medical Center at Princeton, and the Watershed Institute.

At PDS, with 23 years on the board, Jack was exceedingly generous with his strategic guidance and financial support. Indeed, he was the School’s longest-serving trustee. In 1993, for his impact, Jack earned the school’s highest volunteer and career service award, which was subsequently renamed the John D. Wallace ’48 Alumni Service Award. After the profound loss of their son John, Jack and Happy decided to memorialize John’s creativity and spirit by establishing the John D. Wallace Jr ’78 Memorial Guest Artist Series. This fund established Imagine the Possibilities, a schoolwide program, which brings renowned authors, poets, and illustrators to the PDS community. Happy and Jack returned every year to PDS to enjoy these guests and just this past April, Jack’s last outings were attending the 29th year of this remarkable Imagine the Possibilities program.

Throughout 2024 and into 2025, Jack remained active with the Bedens Brook Club and the Nassau Club, at Princeton Day School, Princeton Investors Group, and the Princeton Class of 1955. He regularly attended book club gatherings and lunches with a group of friends who playfully called themselves “Malaprop.”

In all of his activities, Jack gracefully blended a wry sense of humor, practical vision, and steady optimism to bring people together and make good things happen. While his presence in the community was profound, his devotion to his family was boundless and his love for his beloved Happy unwavering.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Trinity Church, Princeton, NJ, on Tuesday, June 17 at 11 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Princeton First Aid and Rescue, the Princeton Area Community Foundation, or any other cause meaningful to Jack’s legacy.