John Guild

John Guild, devoted husband, proud father and grandfather, lover of flight, and dedicated champion of historical preservation, passed away on February 9, 2025, after a long battle with Alzheimer’s Disease.  

John was born in Cincinnati, OH, and grew up in New Richmond, OH, a village on the banks of the Ohio River. He was the third child of Alice (Fischer) and Edward Guild, and brother of Carol (deceased, husband Bob), Leonard (deceased, wife Donna), and Sara (husband Don). John graduated from New Richmond High School, The Ohio State University (B.S. in Business Administration), and The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania (M.B.A. in Business Administration).  A Midwesterner to his core, John (known as Jack) was proud of his Ohio roots and never lost sight of or love for the people and experiences that shaped his early years.

John served as a Captain in the United States Marine Corps for 5 years, with a dual rating as a Naval Aviator and Air Force Pilot, flying F-4 Phantom fighter jets during the Vietnam era.  It was in the military that John met his wife, Susan, a Navy Nurse, while in line for the ‘head’/bathroom at a party – now a piece of family legend!

John was the devoted husband of Susan (Dorney); father of Karen, John (wife Rachel), and Christopher (wife Andrea); and grandfather of Madison, Jack, Penelope, and Ethan. In addition to his immediate family, John is survived by many loving and wonderful brothers- and sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends who brought great joy and comfort to him throughout his life.

Family was the one thing that meant more to John than flying. After several years of flying F-4s in the Marine Corps, he left the service and in his own words had a “crash course in re engaging in marriage, childcare, and graduate school.” Despite his habit of stopping mid-conversation to identify aircraft flying overhead, he threw himself into family life wholeheartedly and had no regrets in leaving the freedom of the skies behind him.

Change never fazed John; he welcomed and embraced it. After working in banking operations and consulting, he reinvented himself and joined The Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, NY, where he served as Vice President for Finance and Administration (1988-1995). There he discovered his third great passion after flying and his family: history. During this second career, John brought his pragmatism and passion to historical organizations and living history museums including Conner Prairie, IN (Director of Operations and Treasurer, 1995-1998); Hale Farm & Village, OH (Director, 1998-2000); Historic Richmond Town, SI/NY (Executive Director and CEO, 2000-2008) and Historic Annapolis, MD (President and CEO, 2008-2012).

John loved looking at the world, whether he was cruising at 40,000 feet in an F-4 Phantom or strolling through a local museum with his family. During a lifetime of new places and experiences, John left no plaque unread and no landmark unappreciated. He had a singular sense of humor, an amazing ability to find beauty and wonder in everyday life, and a passion for helping people find and appreciate connections to their past.  As a husband, father, Marine, friend, and business leader, John lived his life with integrity and the will to do the right thing even when the path was difficult.  It is often said but means more now than ever… he will be missed.

A Funeral Mass will be held at 11AM on April 12, 2025, at Our Lady of Victory Church, Centerville MA, concluding with Military Honors. A repast for family and friends will follow.

In lieu of flowers, his family asks that donations be made in his memory to The Strong National Museum of Play ( https://www.museumofplay.org/support/individual-giving/) or Conner Prairie ( https://www.connerprairie.org/support/make-a-gift/)

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