WEITZEL, John P. Of Chestnut Hill died at home December 8, 2016 at the age of 93. He is survived by his wife Elisabeth (Swan), his daughter Mary Weitzel and her husband David Halfpenny, his son Paul Weitzel and his wife Merrill Weitzel, his sister Mary Elizabeth Landor and seven grandchildren. After serving for nearly three years in the Army Air Force during World War II he graduated from Yale University and then the Harvard Law School. He began his legal career with a Boston law firm and in 1953 joined the Eisenhower administration, serving in the U.S Treasury Department for 8 years. He ended his service as an Assistant Secretary of the Treasury. He was also a member of the National Security Planning Board and U.S. Director of the World Bank. After returning to Boston to continue his corporate and banking law practice, he spent time in 1973 consulting to the Secretary of Defense.
He was a long-time champion of environmental causes, the Boys and Girls Club of Boston, the Museum of Science and the Roxbury Latin School. He also enjoyed his time as a member of the Massachusetts Council on the Arts and Humanities. A life-long student of politics, he helped run a number of political campaigns. He was also a member of the American Law Institute.
He loved the outdoors and enjoyed gardening, skiing, fishing and hiking with his family. He was especially proud of climbing all 48 of the 4,000 footers in New Hampshire.
Funeral services will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to: Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston, 200 High Street, 3rd Floor, Boston, MA 02110 or online at www.bgcb.org or Museum of Science, c/o Michael Grace, Director of Annual Giving, 1 Science Park, Boston, MA 02114-1099 or online at mos.org/make-a-gift with e-mail to [email protected].