John L. Hancock

I only knew John Hancock as a scholar, teacher and a friend.

As a scholar, John had a world wide reputation with a lively intellect, although he never “blew his own horn,” or rushed to pad his curriculum vitae with the latest article or review.

John’s work was greatly respected by urban historians and a long list of them counted themselves among his avid readers, many of them among his friends.

John had the natural curiosity of a scholar. He saw the important trees in...

I served as a Teaching Assistant to John in his Environmental History course in 1988-9; and he was a member of my thesis committee. I will always treasure the conversations we held on a variety of topics and the support and encouragement he always graciously provided during my time in the graduate program. He will always remain a role model for me of rigorous intellectualism and profound human decency.

John encouraged and enabled us to be curious students with rigorous methodologies in his CEP 302 Environmental Response class. I will always appreciate his dedication to knowledge, teaching, and the value he placed on good writing skills. He helped to make me a stronger writer. Warmest thoughts to his family.

John's courses still stand out among the highlights of my time at the UW. I still consider myself fortunate for those precious few hours a week spent in his classes two plus decades ago.