John Cone Dies

Dear Classmates,

I regret to announce the death of John Cone, unforgettable English teacher, drama coach, grammarian, opera lover, spontaneous singer, life of the party, flamboyant ham.

His friend and executor, Bruce Sherrill, told me of his death in the letter below. The memorial service Bruce mentions will take place, in New Jersey, in late September or October. Bruce hopes that those of us with "brief written remembrace[s]" of Mr. Cone we want to share will send them to me to send to him. When I told him that a classmate (John Phillips, but I named no names) had told me that Mr. Cone's training in writing had helped him advance in the DEA, Bruce said, "Wonderful. That's just what we want."

Our giants are passing.

Love,
Bill Stott



Re: John F. Cone

Dear William,

I received your letter to John Cone and I regret to tell you that John passed away on May 30, 2009. My name is Bruce Sherrill. I was a friend of John; I'm also the executor of his estate.

In summer 2006, John fell down the staircase in his apartment and broke his neck. Major surgery repaired the injury but John never recovered sufficiently to live independently. For almost 3 years, he lived in a nursing home in Middletown, NJ.

John requested cremation and no funeral. However, we will have a memorial service for John either later this summer or after Labor Day. When planned, I will let you know the date. If you like you may send me a brief written remembrance about your friendship with John to be read at the service. I enclose John's obituary as it appeared in The Scarsdale Inquirer, June 5, 2009.

You are most welcome to call me if you would like to discuss any of this. My telephone number is xxx-xxx-xxxx. If you get my voice mail, please leave your telephone number and the best time to call.

I'm so sorry to send you this news. I know that John would have loved to receive your letter and renew an old friendship.

With warmest regards,
Bruce Sherrill



The Scarsdale Inquirer

June 5, 2009

John Frederick Cone

John Frederick Cone, 82, died May 30 at the Care One King James Nursing Home in New Jersey. A former SHS English teacher, Dr. Cone had lived in Highlands, N.J. since the mid-'70s. He was a 1944 graduate of Salem High School in Ohio, received his A.B. and A.M. degrees at Rutgers University and in 1964, his Ph.D. degree from NYU. He taught at Montclair Academy (1949-52), then at SHS (1952-69).

A student of his, Kenneth Wallach, said, "John was a demanding teacher but the got the most out of his pupils. He inspired a lasting love of literature."

Eric Rothschild recalls that his colleague "insisted once a week that the boys in his class wear jackets and ties, and the girls wear long skirts or dresses. And the kids went along with it."

At Red Bank Regional High School (1970-88), Dr. Cone attained the position of departmental supervisor of English, art, music and foreign languages. He was the former academic dean of the North Carolina School of the Arts, and for many years adjunct associate professor English at Fordham University's Ignatius College, where he received the Teacher of the Year Award for 1992-93. He had a lifelong interest in opera, and wrote several books on related topics, including "Oscar Hammerstein's Manhattan Opera Company," "First Revival of the Metropolitan Opera" and "Adelina Patti, Queen of Hearts." He was also associate editor of "The World's Love Poetry," and contributed to "Melba: A Contemporary Review," "Magnum Shakespearean Series," the "New Grove Dictionary of American Music" and "The New Grove Dictionary of Opera."

A memorial service is planned.



The Salem (Ohio) News

POSTED: June 2, 2009

John Frederick Cone

HIGHLANDS, N.J.-John Frederick Cone, 82, died on May 30, 2009, after a long period of declining health at the Care One King James Nursing Home in New Jersey.

Dr. Cone was a resident of Highlands, N. J., from the mid 1970s. He was a graduate of Salem High School in Ohio in 1944, received his AB and AM degrees at Rutgers University and his PhD degree from New York University in 1964. He taught at Montclair Academy in New Jersey from 1949 to 1952, Scarsdale High School from 1952 to 1969, and Red Bank Regional High School from 1970 to 1988 where he attained the position of departmental supervisor of English, Art, Music and Foreign Languages.

Dr. Cone was the former academic dean of the North Carolina School of the Arts, and for many years adjunct associate professor of English at Fordham University's Ignatius College where he received the Teacher of the Year award for 1992-1993. He had a life long interest in opera, regularly attended the Metropolitan Opera at both its old and current venues and was a weekly listener to its radio broadcasts. He authored several books on opera related topics including "Oscar Hammerstein's Manhattan Opera Company" (University of Oklahoma Press, 1964), "First Rival of the Metropolitan Opera" (Columbia University Press, 1983), and "Adelina Patti, Queen of Hearts" (Amadeus Press, 1993). He also was associate editor of "The World's Love Poetry" (Bantam Press, 1960), contributor to "Melba: A Contemporary Review" (Greenwood Press, 1985), contributing editor and commentator of "Magnum Shakespearean Series" (Lancer Books, 1968), and contributor to the "New Grove Dictionary of American Music" (Macmillan, 1986) and "The New Grove Dictionary of Opera" (Macmillan, 1992).

It was Dr. Cone's request that no funeral service be held; however a memorial service will be planned. Family, friends, and former colleagues will be informed of the date when the plans are finalized.

Arrangements were handled by Thompson Memorial Home in Red Bank.