John taught for many years at Bard (where he was until his death a Professor Emeritus, and known for founding the Journal of the History of Sexuality). He was well-known in Hudson for his sustained engagement with the community, including a brave run for public office in the 5th Ward when it was still highly conservative.
More than a decade ago, he and Claude Cherry bought and restored a long-neglected home on the corner of Columbia and 5th Street, which had for as long as anyone could remember been blighted by a giant sign for Phil Gellert’s Northern Empire Realty.