John Kahl Figge of Sea Island, Georgia, formerly of Davenport and Washington, D.C., died Oct. 9, 2009.
He was born in Davenport on Jan. 22, 1938 to Elizabeth (Kahl) and V.O. Figge. He was the beloved husband for 49 years of Patricia Anne (Joyce) Figge, devoted father of Mary Power (John), Wellesley, Mass., Patricia Glowacki (Tony), Chevy Chase, Md., Elizabeth Lemek (Brian), Chevy Chase, Md., Ann Nawn (Jim), Princeton, N.J., John O. Figge (Lisa), Bryn Mawr, Pa., and Michael Figge (Jennifer), Princeton, N.J. He is also survived by 20 adoring grandchildren; two sisters, Ann Brawley, Colorado Springs, Col., and Marie Wise, Houston; two brothers; James Figge, Sun Valley, Idaho, Thomas Figge, Aspen, Colo. and Santa Barbara, Calif., and 40 nieces and nephews.
He graduated from Georgetown Preparatory School in 1955 and The College of the Holy Cross in 1959. He holds degrees from the Graduate School of Banking of the University of Wisconsin, as well as an honorary doctorate degree from St. Ambrose University, Davenport. He began his career at Davenport Bank and Trust Company in 1960. He became a member of the Board of Directors in 1969, was made president of the bank in 1980 and was CEO at the time of the sale of the bank to Norwest Corp. in 1990.
He was active in community banking in eastern Iowa and western Illinois for many years. After retiring in 1990, he focused his time on several successful entrepreneurial ventures including Panera Bread franchises in New Jersey and Maryland, several real estate investments in the Boston area, and Wealthengine, a marketing services firm in Bethesda, Md.
His dedication to faith and family was lived through his service to many charitable organizations. At the time of his death he served as a trustee of the College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, Mass., Catholic Charities Foundation, Washington, D.C., Woodstock Theological Center at Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., and Loyola Retreat House, Faulkner, Md.
He was a member of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. He was a past board member of Georgetown Preparatory School, Bethesda, Md., and St. Ambrose University as well as a member of the board of fellows for the University of Iowa’s religion department. He was also a board member of the Foundation for K-12 Catholic Schools, Davenport, and the Gregorian University Foundation, New York, N.Y. He served as president of the Iowa-Illinois Council of Boy Scouts in the early ‘70s and was a member of the Rotary Club of Davenport. He made many good friends through his lifelong love of golf and will be missed at his favorite clubs.
The family will receive visitors at Frank E. Campbell Funeral Chapel, 1076 Madison Ave., New York, N.Y., on Tuesday, Oct. 13 from 2- 4:30 p.m. followed by Mass of Christian Burial at 5 p.m. at St. Ignatius Loyola Church, 980 Park Ave., New York, N.Y. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of John K. Figge to The College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, Mass., and Catholic Charities Foundation, Washington, D.C.
