Dr. John Wesley 'Jack' Sawyer

Dr. John Wesley 'Jack' Sawyer, retired Professor of Mathematics at Wake Forest University, was born Nov. 2, 1917 in Raleigh to Joseph Edmond and Inez Avent Sawyer. He had two brothers, the late Joseph and Robert Sawyer, and was married to Edna Matthews Sawyer from 1939 until her death in 2002. He is survived by his son John Jr., daughter-in law Martha Elks, and granddaughters Julia and Karen Sawyer. He passed quietly in his sleep July 13, 2013. He received his batchelor's degree(1938) and MA(1941) from Wake Forest, and his Ph.D. from the University of Missouri in 1951. He was on the faculties of Georgia State and the University of Richmond before returning to Wake Forest to join the Math department in 1956, the year Wake moved to Winston-Salem. His consulting work for Reynolds Tobacco beginning in the 1950's led to some of the earlier practical applications of operations research in business, which in turn led to his induction as a Fellow of AAAS. He was instrumental in bringing computing and computer instruction into the Wake Forest curriculum. He was inducted into the Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame for his service to Wake Forest Athletics and to intercollegiate athletics in general. He was Faculty Athletic Representative to the NCAA for Wake Forest for 28 years, and served as President of the Atlantic Coast Conference four times. He served as an NCAA vice-president after extensive work on multiple NCAA committees. At Salemtowne Retirement Center, where he finished out his years, he served on the Board of Directors of Salemtowne and made many contributions to the life of Salemtowne. Jack Sawyer was a wonderful mixture of self-control and adventurousness. He drove for 80 years without a single moving violation, yet thumbed from Raleigh to collegiate matches in the triangle as a pre-teen and took a Baltic-Russian tour alone at 90. He was always smiling and gentle, almost never meeting someone he did not like or who did not like him. Yet woe to anyone who thought this meant lack of dedication to principle. He was a wonderful and dedicated husband, father and grandfather. He loved music, and in his prime could play almost any wind or keyboard instrument. Self taught in organ, he put on concerts almost to the day he died. He ran the Wake Forest marching band as a college senior before there was a music department, and was music director at multiple churches. As the Psalm says, he loved to make a joyful noise. He had many kin and friends who will sorely miss him. Services will be held at 2:00 PM in Wait Chapel at Wake Forest on Sunday, July 21. Visitation will be at Hayworth Miller Funeral Home on Silas Creek Parkway from 6:00 to 8:00 PM. on Saturday, July 20. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to the Department of Music of Wake Forest University (P.O. Box 7345/ W-S, NC 27109). Please send the donation to the attention of Carol Brehm. Checks should be payable to Wake Forest University. Online condolences may be made at www.hayworth-miller.com

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