John F. “Jack” Tukey
John F. “Jack” Tukey, 93, passed away peacefully on November 16, 2024, at his Shell Point Home in Fort Myers, Florida. He was born in Evanston, Illinois, graduating from Barrington High School. Jack went on to graduate from Dartmouth College, class of 1953.
After graduation, Jack received a draft notice and acceptance to the Navy Officer Candidate School in Newport, RI. He served four years in the Navy, stationed in the Western Pacific on destroyers. He retired from the service in 1962 as a Lieutenant Commander. Jack was forever proud about his time in the Navy and serving his country.
During the third year of his tour, he married Margot Hodgson whom he met at Dartmouth Winter Carnival. Somehow, in all his subsequent travels, they managed to raise three children.
Jack got his start in advertising, the field that would become his five-decade passion, in that classically iconic way – a job in the mailroom of Leo Burnett after the execs needed a third baseman for their softball team. An ad guy through and through, Jack worked for storied Madison Avenue ad agencies like Leo Burnett and J. Walter Thompson, helming some of the world’s most legendary brands from Kellogg’s Cereals and Seven-up to Oscar Mayer. (Yes, he could belt out the Weiner song with the best of them.) In 1979, he transferred to JWT London to form a European coordination network for JWT and Kellogg’s. In 1982, he returned to Chicago and headed up the Kraft International Business for JWT. He earned over 2,500,000 frequent-flyer miles on American Airlines alone.
One of Jack’s great skills was building strong relationships with his clients. He knew the importance of really listening to people. He used to say that was 90% of doing business. His clients and advertising colleagues loved him and his too-often repeated quips. “How are you doing Jack?” “Not bad for an old fella.” He never stopped laughing at his own jokes. He was a loyal and lifelong friend to many of those he met along the way.
Jack retired in 1988, and he and Margot enjoyed the beauty of winter in Sanibel, Florida and summers in White Lake, Michigan. In retirement Jack was finally able to spend more time on the golf course. He was a long-time member of White Lake Golf Club, Sanibel Island Golf Club, and the Captiva Island Yacht Club. He also enjoyed tennis, boating and music. He played guitar at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago and the drums at Shell Point.
In his wife Margot’s later years, Jack demonstrated great faithfulness, visiting Margot every day in the Special Care Unit at Shell Point when he was no longer able to care for her at home. After Margot’s passing, Jack met Sue Paul of Sanibel. Jack proposed to Sue after precariously getting down on one newly replaced knee in a Venetian gondola. They were married in 2016 and spent the next eight years laughing, traveling, and enjoying special times with family and friends in Sanibel and Michigan.
Jack is survived by his wife Sue, his three children, Meg Wanland (husband Dick), Elizabeth Andrews (husband Tom), John, and nine grandchildren and eight great grandchildren who lovingly called him “Grumps.”
A memorial service will be held at Sanibel Community Church on December 21 at 1:00 P.M. It was also Jack’s wish that there be a memorial service in Michigan, which will be held next summer. In lieu of contributions, Jack’s second wish is that you make time to do something nice for someone.