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John S. Baran

John S. Baran of Madison, formerly of Winnetka, Illinois, passed away peacefully at home on April 17, 2024, at the age of 95. John was preceded in death by his wife, Nancy (nee Harris) Baran, and his daughter, Mariana Baran. He is survived by his daughter, Cecily Baran and her partner Rich Bonnanzio of Madison; his granddaughters, Juliette Geller of Ghent, New York, and Genevieve Geller of New York City; his brother, Joseph Baran of Downers Grove, Illinois; his good friend Harley Gregoire of Guilford; and many extended family members and both new and old friends.

John was born on Feb. 7, 1929, in Chicago, the son of Polish immigrants John P. Baran and Stella (nee Stanczykiewicz) Baran, and one of five brothers. John took jobs at an early age to help contribute to the family income, delivering papers and later biking all over the city to deliver telegrams for Western Union. He had an early passion for science and self-studied college chemistry prior to graduating from high school. In his home laboratory, which he set up in the kitchen of their rented flat, he conducted experiments that won him a full four-year scholarship to the University of Chicago, where he also played on the varsity basketball team and served as Sergeant in the Illinois National Guard. After graduating with his B.A. and, afterward, his M.S., he continued his studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and completed his Ph.D. in Chemistry in a record time of one and a half years and was honored by election to Sigma Xi. He spent his entire career as a research fellow in medicinal chemistry at GD Searle of Skokie, Illinois (later to become Monsanto and then Pfizer), where his work was foundational to the development of the birth control pill. John is a Google Scholar with 128 citations, over 45 published papers, and 81 patents.

While at the University of Wisconsin, he met Nancy Harris, and it was truly love at first sight, leading to a vibrant partnership that lasted until Nancy’s death 63 years later. Along with Nancy, John’s daughters and granddaughters were the light of his life, and he took an active role in guiding and teaching them, supporting their interests, and cheering their accomplishments. At every age, John was truly a friend to all and was widely known for his kind and gentle manner. He took an ongoing and genuine interest in everyone, especially those who faced challenges including a friend battling addiction, numerous elders in his family and community, and successfully advocating for a talented young scientist repeatedly passed over for promotion due to prejudice. Most of all, he dedicated his time and attention to his older daughter Mariana, who battled schizophrenia, and later to Nancy, who suffered from dementia in her last decade. He was saddened by their condition but never once complained of the burden. Indeed, he felt his life was nothing but blessed by their presence.

John grabbed at life with gusto, traveling extensively with Nancy to attend and speak at scientific conferences in places such as in Japan, England, the Soviet Union, Austria, and Italy in the 1960s and '70s, when going abroad was uncommon and much more challenging than it is today. Together with Nancy and his children, he toured many North American destinations, took Mariana to Europe many times, and most recently joined Cecily, Juliette, and Genevieve in Paris, Madrid, Florence, and Vail. John had a hungry intellect and passions beyond science and avidly studied history, current events, and investing. He cultivated a thriving rose garden and played tennis weekly for over six decades, and together with Nancy, attended symphony and opera concerts many times each year.

Following his retirement in 1994, John threw himself into volunteer work with WilPower/New Foundation Center (NFC), an organization dedicated to providing local housing and services on Chicago’s North Shore for those with mental illness. John, along with Nancy, served the organization as a board member for 14 years and also served as President for seven of those years. During his tenure, the organization grew from a $2,500 grant to over $1 million, with housing for 50 people and a day center serving 150 clients. By 2017, NFC served 350 clients annually and then merged with Thresholds, serving Chicago and nine other counties with revenues of over $90 million.

John’s was a life truly well lived, filled with gratitude and kindness, never losing his zest for life even at the very end. Family and friends are invited to attend a celebration of John’s life at 11 a.m. on Friday, June 21, at Swan Funeral Home in Madison. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in John’s honor to Thresholds at www.thresholds.org.