John Weitnauer

WEITNAUER, Jr., John

John H. Weitnauer, Jr. was born on May 21, 1926 to John and Elsa Weitnauer in Miami Beach, Florida. Following the second hurricane that hit Miami Beach in September 1926, the family moved to Decatur, Georgia, where John grew up with his parents and his three younger brothers, Gene, Denk and Joel.

His college education at the Georgia Institute of Technology was interrupted by his service in the Army Air Force from 1944 to 1946, but after the war he returned to Georgia Tech, and in 1949 he earned a Bachelor's Degree in Industrial Engineering.

In 1948, he met Margaret "Peggy" Penn, and they were married on December 30, 1950. Together, they raised their four children, Kit, Penn, David and Meg, in Decatur, Georgia.

Georgia Tech was always a special place for John. He made many friends while a student and as a member to the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity, and later through his involvement with Tech as a deeply involved alumni. John gave back to Tech over many years – he served on the Presidential Search Committee for G. Wayne Clough, the Advisory Board of the School of Industrial Engineering, and he was the Vice Chair of the Georgia Tech Centennial Campaign. He received Georgia Tech's J.M. Pettit Distinguished Service Award and was inducted into Tech's Engineering Hall of Fame. He was active in the Georgia Tech Foundation for many decades, including serving as a Trustee and as its President in 1993-1995.

In 2021 he funded a chair at the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering. Before that he had established the John H. Weitnauer Jr. Technology Transfer Chair and the GRA Eminent Scholar position in Georgia Tech's School of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

John began his career at Rich's in 1956. He rose through the ranks, serving as the General Manager of two branch stores and the flagship store in downtown Atlanta, Vice President of Personnel and then Senior Vice President of Personnel. In 1969, he was made the Senior Vice President of Stores and Operations for Rich's new Richway division. In 1971, he became a member of Rich's Board of Directors. In 1973, he was made President of Richway and Executive Vice President of Rich's. In 1980, when Richway became a separate division of Federated Department Stores, he became Richway's Chairman and CEO. He retired from Richway in 1986. In 1998, he became the Chairman, CEO and President of John Harland Company, and in 1999 served as its Chairman.

John served as a director of many businesses, including John Harland Company, Engraph Inc., DF Southeastern, Inc., Pace Membership Warehouse, Goody's Family Clothing, Payless Cashways, Inc. and Decatur Federal Savings and Loan.

From 1980 to 1986, he was a Director of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, and also served as its Deputy Chairman and Chairman from 1983 to 1986. He served as a Director of the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority from 1977 to 1980.

His community service was extensive. He served as a Director of the United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta from 1976 to 1984, was its General Campaign Chairman in 1978, and he served as its President in 1981. He was a member of the Kiwanis Club of Atlanta and served as a Director from 1977 to 1981. He served as Chairman of the Metropolitan Atlanta Chapter of the American Red Cross in 1984 and was a Director of the Salvation Army.

He was a Trustee of Agnes Scott College and served on the Board of Visitors of Emory University. He was a member of the City of Decatur School System's Board of Education and also as its Chairman.

John was a Member of the Board of Trustees of Columbia Theological Seminary, where he served as a member of the President's Advisory Council, and Chair of the Board's Planning and Development Committee; he also served as Co-Chair of the Seminary's capital campaign. He was a longtime member of Decatur Presbyterian Church and served as a Deacon (1972-76) and later as an Elder (1978-83).

In 1983, John and Peggy (who was the general contractor) built a vacation home overlooking the ocean in St. Simons, Georgia. John and Peggy moved to St. Simons on full time basis in 1990. Peggy and John took many trips in the U.S. and abroad, and many more with John's brothers and their wives. Peggy passed away after a long battle with cancer.

After Peggy's death, John began spending more time in Atlanta. While attending a Georgia Tech event, John met June Hunter, whom he married in 2000. John and June traveled extensively with friends and always enjoyed many Tech functions. John and June moved to Lenbrook in 2010. June passed away in 2016.

John had always enjoyed home improvement projects; he built portions of a vacation home at Lake Lanier, and over the years built many items of furniture and cabinetry. At Lenbrook he took up woodturning, and created hundreds of beautiful bowls and vases that are treasured by family members and friends.

John passed away on October 13, 2024, at the age of 98. He is survived and deeply missed by his son, Kit (Cath); his daughter, Penn (Jim); his son, David (Nancy); his daughter, Meg (Bill); his ten grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and his two stepchildren, June's son, Steve, and her daughter, Chris.

John expressed his hope that anyone making contributions in his memory will consider making them either to the Shepherd Center Foundation, 2020 Peachtree Road NW. Atlanta, GA 30309-1466 or Decatur Presbyterian Church, 205 Sycamore Street, Decatur, GA 30030, or any charity that is meaningful to them.