Endicott, John

ENDICOTT, John Edgar

John Edgar Endicott, Ph.D. August 9, 1936 - June 22, 2024

John was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, August 9, 1936. He attended Western Hills High School and graduated in 1954 and attended The Ohio State University, where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa, Cum Laude, and Valedictorian. His devotion to military service started at Ohio State as an Air Force ROTC Cadet. After his graduation, his Air Force active service started May 1958. He had a 28 year decorated career in the United States Air Force (USAF) which included operational tours in Japan, Hawaii, (PACAF Headquarters), Vietnam, and Omaha, Nebraska (SAC Headquarters); tours at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO; Washington, D.C., and the National Defense University (Associate Dean of Academics, National War College, Director of Research (NDU), and Founding Deputy Director for the Institute for National Strategic Studies (NDU) with almost eight years of Foreign Service.

His decorated USAF career included the following awarded medals:

- Defense Superior Service Medal

- Legion of Merit Medal

- Bronze Star

- The Meritorious Service Medal

- Air Medal with one oak leaf cluster

- Department of the Army Civilian Achievement Medal

After his military career, he was approached by Georgia Institute of Technology to become the Founding Director of the Center for International Strategy, Technology and Policy, and served as a professor for the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs where he spent 18 years until 2007. In 2007, he was sought by a Korean university (Woosong University) to become co-president of that institution. He was given the special assignment of establishing an all- English language business college. He became the sole president of the university in January 2009 and the only foreign president among the 202 Korean 4-year universities and ultimately creating a college of liberal arts and social sciences named after him: The Endicott College of International Studies at Woosong University. Dr. Endicott served with the university until August 2021. In 1991 he introduced the concept for a Limited Nuclear Weapons-Free Zone in Northeast Asia (LNWFZ-NEA) which continues to be examined in international forums. Both Dr. Endicott and the Limited Nuclear Weapons-Free Zone in Northeast Asia (LNWFZ-NEA) Program were nominated for the 2005 and 2009 Nobel Peace Prize. Education: Ohio State University, BS; University of Nebraska at Omaha, MS; and the Fletcher School at Tufts University, MS, Ph.D.

John Endicott was a published author with five books on security and foreign policy and one book of his memoirs called Destined to Serve. A few of his favorite things were family gatherings, mincemeat pie, Christmas pudding, lemon curd, and peanut butter. He was an avid Cincinnati Reds fan, reader of history, world travel enthusiast and loved the annual family bowling tournament. He believed the best thing that he ever did in life was to marry his wife of 64 years, Mitsuyo, from Tokyo, Japan. He is survived by his wife, Mitsuyo (Mitchy); adult children, daughter, Charlene Endicott Noble (Greg) and their children, Alexandra Noble, Kayleigh Noble Saxon (Jeremy), Nicholas Noble (Jordan); and great-grandchild Harlo Saxon; and son, John Endicott, II (Virginia) and their son, Jack.

Funeral services are scheduled for 12:00 PM, on Thursday, June 27, 2024, from the Chapel of South Canton Funeral Home with Pastor Steven Bonham officiating. Interment will follow at Georgia National Cemetery at 2:00 PM on Thursday, June 27, 2024 with Honors presented by the United States Air Force.

The family will receive friends from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM, Thursday, June 27, 2024, at the South Canton Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, donations are to be made to the American Heart Association ( www.heart.org ) or the American Cancer Society in his memory. ( www.cancer.org )

South Canton Funeral Home, dedicated to the families we serve, 770-479-3377. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.thescfh.com.