John A. Schutz, emeritus professor of history in the USC College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, died in November. He was 86.

“John Schutz devoted many years of his life to USC, as a faculty member and as dean of the social science division of the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences,” said Steven Ross, professor and chair of history. “He will be missed by all who knew him.”

During his 29 years of service at USC, Schutz also served as chair of the history department.

Schutz’ work focused on colonial America. He wrote numerous books and essays including: “The Promise of America” (Dickinson, 1970); “William Shirley: King’s Governor of Massachusetts” (University of North Carolina Press, 1961); and “The Dawning of America” (Forum Press, 1981). In 2001, Liberty Press reissued Schutz’ “The Spur of Fame: Dialogues of John Adams and Benjamin Rush.”

Schutz earned a B.A., M.A. and Ph.D. from UCLA. After graduating in 1945, he began teaching at the California Institute of Technology. In 1953, he took a faculty position at Whittier College, where he taught until joining the USC College faculty in 1965.

Schutz served as president of both the American Historical Association and the American Studies Association. In addition, he held memberships in the New England Historic Genealogical Society, the Massachusetts Historical Society, the Southern California Historical Society, the American Catholic Historical Association and the Early American Historians.

Schutz is survived by his sister Rosemary Di Salvo; nephews Joseph, John and George Di Salvo; and niece Catherine Padgett.

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