John was a Senior Scientist and President Emeritus of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI). He was a passionate scientist and a universal traveller of the world's oceans. During his career, John made many unique contributions to marine science and was most well-known for introducing the ecosystem concept to the field. He served as a US Delegate to ICES 1983-1998 and was a Vice President of ICES Bureau 1988-1991.
John had been struggling with cancer this year and passed away in his sleep on 4 November 2013, just before his 87th birthday. He is survived by his wife Evelyn, son Hugh, daughter-in-law Jenny, and grandsons Adam and Owen.