North Pomfret, Vermont

John Paulus Semple, 85, died peacefully on November 8th at his home in North Pomfret, surrounded by his family.

He was born October 14, 1930 in Wilson, Pennsylvania, the son of William Oliver and Mildred Paulus Semple. His family moved soon afterwards to Wollaston, Massachusetts, where he grew up.

John was a graduate of Mount Hermon School (1949) and Hamilton College (BA, 1953). He served two years in the army and then studied art for a year in Mexico City before enrolling at Boston University, earning his M.F.A. in 1958. While at Boston University, he received a full scholarship to the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture. After Boston University, with the support of a Tiffany Foundation Grant, he spent a year in Florence with his wife, Mallory, whom he had married in 1957.

After a short career as an art teacher, John devoted himself full-time to his art. In 1969, he and Mallory moved with their three children to North Pomfret, where he spent the next forty-six years as a professional artist.

John was a member of Allied Artists of America, Audubon Artists, Boston Printmakers, Los Angeles Printmaking Society, and the Society of American Graphic Artists.

He is survived by his wife of fifty-eight years, Mallory Messner Semple, of North Pomfret; son John H. and daughter-in-law Marsha of Dallas, Texas and Sharon, Vermont; son Benjamin and daughter-in-law Terry of Spokane, Washington; son Timothy of North Pomfret; and sister Ann Semple Bowman of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In addition to his parents he is predeceased by a brother, William.

Services will be held privately by the family.

Memorial donations can be made to the Ottauquechee Health Foundation or the Thompson Senior Center.