John S. Blanchard

John Blanchard, of New Rochelle and Pelham, NY, passed away on Friday, November 5 at the age of 67. A brilliant enzymologist whose long career focused on curing tuberculosis, John was the Dan Danciger Professor of Biochemistry at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Known especially for his dedication to teaching and to mentoring, in 2014 John was awarded the A.I. Scott Medal for Excellence in Biological Chemical Research, sponsored by the American Chemical Society Texas A&M University Section and the department of chemistry at Texas A&M. In 2017, he was awarded the Marshall S. Horwitz, M.D., Faculty Prize for Research Excellence from Einstein. John graduated from Middlesex in 1971, from Lake Forest College in 1975 and received his PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1978.

John leaves behind his wife of 41 years, Kim (Staggers) Blanchard, and his two adored children, Virginia and Charles, who married Sarah Mlcak earlier this year. He will be missed as well by his brother W. Scott Blanchard and his wife Jenny. John had loved travel since his high school year in Switzerland and was ecstatic to have spent a week this past October with Charlie and Sarah in Geneva, and some of his old friends at The Institut Pasteur in Paris, where he spent a two-year sabbatical in 2000-2001.

John was born in Connecticut to Nathaniel and Constance (Greene) Blanchard on February 20, 1954, and grew up in Cheshire and New Haven, CT. He was an all-around athlete who excelled at swimming, tennis and golf. John will be remembered by his family and countless friends and colleagues for his gregarious personality, intellectual curiosity, and passionate interest in teaching and mentoring young scientists all over the world.

A celebration of John’s life will take place at the Pelham Funeral Home located at 64 Lincoln Avenue, Pelham, New York on Friday, November 12, 2021, from 3PM-5PM with a funeral service taking place at 5PM. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Pelham Education Foundation. For more information or to leave a condolence please visit www.pelhamfuneral.com